DinoThunder: The Legacy of Tommy Oliver
by liron-aria
Summary: PRDT rewrite. Moderate AU. Take a deeper look into the lives of Dr. Tommy Oliver and his fellow Rangers as they struggle to make it through the ups and downs of Rangerhood and the 2004-2005 schoolyear. Who said senior year would be easy?
1. Day of the Dino Pt 1

A/N: Now, let it be known that I loved PRDT. All the characters captured my heart, and as is now obvious, my mind. However, the one thing I found lacking, in fact, the only thing I've ever found lacking with Power Rangers, was emotional depth. And come on, it was a kid's show. Of course there wasn't going to be much. But Tommy Oliver is a Power Ranger legacy (can you tell I'm a Tommy girl?), and I always felt that PRDT could have done so much more, been so much more. So, I took action, filling in those thoughts we couldn't see, creating a few extra scenes we didn't know about, and adding a touch of realism to it all. I can only hope you all enjoy.

**

* * *

Day of the Dino Pt. 1**_  
_

His feet pounded against the concrete floor with too much noise as he raced through the compound.

_How the heck did Mesogog get in here? There's over fifty safeguards on this place to keep unwanted guests out. Better question, Tommy, would be how the heck do you plan on getting out of this mess?_

Tommy Oliver, former Zeo Ranger, current paleontology grad student, ducked around a corner and watched as five or six Tyrannodrones raced past him. A few moments later, he reached for his cell phone, hanging from his belt.

"Come on, Anton, pick up!"

His only response was a dial tone. Ending the call, he swore under his breath. Trust Anton to be in a business meeting when he was fighting for his life against Mesogog. Seriously, the man had been ignoring him for nearly a month now! He took a deep breath and forced himself to be calm. He could feel the Power stirring within him. He clenched his fists. What he was about to do was extremely risky, but who wanted to live past the age of sixty, anyway?

"It's Morphin' Time! Zeo Ranger V, Red!"

A flash of light later, the Red Zeo Ranger stood in Tommy's place.

"I'm sorry, Anton, but this has to be done."

The Red Ranger raced down the corridor until he found a nondescript metal door with a keypad at the side. One hand went to his laser pistol, while the other typed in the access code. The door opened to reveal a small room with computers, servers, a furnace, and various other large machinery.

"Here goes about three hundred thousand dollars worth of research," he sighed as he began blasting everything in sight. Knowing the sounds of destruction would attract the Tyrannodrones and probably Mesogog, Tommy summoned his Zeo Sword and kept it at the ready. Sure enough, a few moments later, he heard they pattering of several feet and Mesogog's yell of "Find him!"

Twirling his sword in almost forgotten pattern, he stabbed sharply into the generator, the power source for the entire island. He poured as much of his Power into it as he could. Arcs of red energy raced out along the nearby wires, short-circuiting the wires and causing explosions on any devices they touched.

"At last," rasped a familiar voice, "You have nowhere left to run!"

Tommy whirled around and dropped to a defensive stance. Great, this was exactly what he needed. At this rate, he was lucky if he made it to the next sunrise. Ducking, punching, and kicking, he lashed out against the Tyrannodrones as they converged on him. He helped create these; he knew how to destroy them.

Just then, the generator behind him exploded, the shockwave sending him, Mesogog, and the Tyrannodrones flying out of the room and into the opposite wall of the corridor. With reflexes and endurance honed by about two decades of martial arts, four and a half years of which he spent as a Power Ranger, Tommy pulled himself back up and began running down the corridor again. He had a minute and half, perhaps two, before the entire island was blown sky high.

He grunted as a wave of pain raced through him, from holding his morph too long. A thick beam of red energy circled his torso and raced outward. _No! I can't drop out of morph now! Just a little further!_ Tommy dropped to his knees as his Zeo powers faded, leaving him back in his civilian clothes. He pulled himself back up and continued searching for the exit.

The corridors exploded and crumbled behind him as he ran. The ground shook under his feet as the island's structure disintegrated. And of course, a horde of Tyrannodrones surrounded him. Mentally cursing, Tommy readied himself for battle. He may not have had his ranger powers anymore, but that didn't mean he couldn't fight.

_When I started researching how to combine technology with dinosaur DNA, this was not what I was planning to create! Ugh! I think I heard a rib crack. Come on, you stupid Tyrannodrones, hurry up and die so I can get off this island!_

Finally, he found himself standing at the cliffs at the edge of the island. Five seconds left.

"Not good!"

Jump in the ocean, or get blown up with the island, like the Tyrannodrones? Without further thought, he jumped into the water.

_Swim, you fool! Swim as if your life depended on it, because it sure does!_ Tommy mentally chided himself and forced his fatigued limbs to move. Behind him, the island, his home for so long, sank in an angry inferno.

Several hours later, Tommy pulled himself up onto the rocks along the mainland coast. By his estimation, he was somewhere between Blue Bay Harbor and Reefside. Tossing away the piece of driftwood he used for the last legs of the journey, he sprawled out on the solid, dry, unmoving (and quite possibly the greatest creation in the history of the universe) ground. Using the single-mindedness and drive that made him such an excellent ranger, he forced himself to breathe and allowed his muscles to relax, but kept himself from falling asleep. He reached into his jacket, mentally congratulating himself on having the presence of mind to stash his phone in the inside (and waterproof) pocket. He dialed a number and waited for an answer.

"Hello, Tommy."

Tommy managed a weak smile. "Hey, Hayley. I need a ride."

"Alright, sure thing. Where are you?"

"Umm… Somewhere on the coastline between Blue Bay Harbor and Reefside. There's black rocks and…" Tommy forced himself to get up and look at his surroundings, "Uh… There's a small copse of trees about 300 meters away and road… No signs, though."

"… WHAT! Thomas James Oliver! How on Earth did you… Never mind, you can explain once I've found you."

"Heh… You'd think the Coast Guard would be patrolling the area given its history… or something… but, no, I get to swim for three-and-a-half hours all by myself…"

"Just hold on, Tommy! I'll be there as soon as I can," Haley said, a note of panic creeping into her voice.

"Mhmm…" Tommy lay back down, finally losing the battle against oblivion.

"Tommy!"

_

* * *

_

"…My! Ke… U… Tommy, come on, open your eyes!_"  
_

Tommy slowly opened his eyes to see an anxious red-haired woman kneeling beside him.

"Hayley?"

The redhead sighed in relief. "You're okay! You're okay… Don't you EVER scare me like that again, Tommy!"

Tommy managed a weak chuckle as Hayley helped him get up. His entire body was one giant throbbing hotspot of pain. He hadn't hurt this much since his Green Ranger powers started fluctuating after the incident with the Green Candle. Only his most intense and brutal Ranger battles came close to comparing, but then he had fully functioning Ranger Powers to ease the burden.

"You can crash at my place for the night. Do you need me to call anyone?" Hayley said.

"Mmm… No, but aspirin would be nice."

"No doubt about that. I'm almost tempted not to give you any, but I don't think that would teach you a lesson about not getting into trouble, would it?"

"Heck no."

Hayley rolled her eyes and focused on driving them home. When they arrived, Tommy promptly collapsed on her couch, having long since claimed it as his. Hayley went into the kitchen and filled a glass of water. She searched for her bottle of aspirin, but by the time she returned to the living room, Tommy was fast asleep. She sighed softly and smiled sadly. He always looked so much more vulnerable when asleep.

Hayley picked up her phone and dialed a number. She fiddled with the phone cord while listening to the dial tone.

"Jason Scott speaking."

"Jason? My name is Hayley Ziktor. I'm a friend of Tommy's and Billy's cousin. Tommy's currently lying passed out on my couch, and I'm a little worried that the cause is something that can't be treated at a hospital, something that you'd have more experience with."

"Er… come again? Sorry Hayley, I'm on break from interning at the UN; I'm not a medic."

Hayley sighed and decided to be blunt. "I'm worried his use of his Zeo powers is killing him."

Dead silence.

"How – how do you – what do – are you-"

"I've known since Billy left for Aquitar. You didn't think he could just leave the planet without telling anyone, did you? He and I have always been close. I met Tommy in grad school a year or so back and we hit it off. He filled in some of the gaps for me.

"Please, it's so frightening how pale and tired and _old_ he looks every time he crashes on my couch. I just found him passed out on the beach twenty minutes from Reefside."

Jason sighed. "I'm on my way. Do you mind if I bring my fiancée along?"

Hayley let out a shaky breath. "The more the merrier."

"Hey, don't worry, Hayley. Think of it this way: you've joined the ranks of those of us who've had to sit at the idiot's bedside worrying if he'll make it after he'd gone and pulled some ridiculously powerful stunt."

Hayley chuckled weakly. "That wasn't funny, Jason."

"Ow. Yeah, my fiancée didn't think so either. Let me take down your address, and we'll be there as soon as possible."

Hayley gave Jason her address and ended the call. She turned around and froze in shock. Tommy was awake staring at her with one eyebrow raised.

"You worry too much," he muttered.

"You give me more than enough cause to, Tommy Oliver."

* * *

Jason resisted the urge to swear when he saw his best friend lying on Hayley's couch, ghostly pale and so vulnerable. His fiancée gasped softly beside him. As veteran Rangers, especially ones that had gone through more than one set of powers, they were able to sense the Power (and its effects) in others. Tommy, to put it simply, was barely hanging on, surviving on the very last dregs of his Zeo powers.

"Jeez, bro. And I thought seeing you after destroying Serpenterra was bad. Then again, your Zeo Crystal had a couple years to recharge, as opposed to a few months. What exactly was so bad that you had to morph?_"  
_

Tommy muttered his reply and Jason wondered if he had heard right.

"A mutant dinosaur tried to kill you and steal the power source for a future generation of Power Rangers?"

Jason's fiancée laughed softly. "You just can't leave the Power alone, can you, Tommy?"

Tommy grinned. "Sorry, Kat, it's too much a part of me."

"I'm going to confiscate your Zeo morpher, I swear. You're not going to get out of being best man at my wedding that easily, bro!"

Tommy laughed. The women smiled as they saw some of the color return to him. Tommy summoned his Zeonizers and took them off.

"Don't worry, bro. If I'm right about this, the only thing my Zeonizers will be used for is a model for future morphers."

"You're serious about this, then? You're really going to mentor a future generation of Power Rangers?"

"Absolutely. Hayley and I have been working on finding the remaining DinoGems, as well as hiding spots for various Dino Eggs, and calibrating the Morphing Grid."

Jason and Kat blinked and looked between Hayley and Tommy. Jason pointed to Tommy. "Zordon," and then to Hayley, "Alpha."

Kat hit him upside the head lightly. Hayley chuckled and replied, "More or less, Jason. That is," she moved behind Tommy and rapped her knuckles on his head, "If Tommy can keep himself out of trouble long enough!"

Jason sighed, reminded of the reason he rushed over. He placed one hand on top of Tommy's Zeonizers and the other on Tommy's forehead. Concentrating, as Zordon had instructed him to many years ago, he searched for the flow of Power within his best friend.

What he found was remarkable. While in most rangers, the Power was a single thread of varying width depending on power-ups, the Power within Tommy was a veritable _braid_. Green Ranger, White Ranger, White Ninjetti, Red Zeo, and even the barest hints of his Red Turbo powers swirled around each other. He'd seen in Kat her Pink Ranger, Pink Ninjetti, and Pink Zeo powers swirling around each other, but her Zeo powers dominated by far and the other two existed in trace amounts. Tommy, on the other hand… Oh… that was unexpected… Tommy's powers were replacing his life force.

"You'll be fine after some rest, by which I mean about two weeks, but Tommy…"

"What is it, Jase?"

"The Power within you… I can't tell the difference between it and your life force!"

Tommy shot upright, openmouthed. Hayley looked between the rangers and asked, "Is that a bad thing?"

Jason mused, "It shouldn't be unless he tries to pull something stupid and decide to use his Green Ranger powers. See, in a normal ranger, you have your life force, and the Power flows around it. For rangers who've been through more than one set of powers, like the three of us, the older powers exist in trace amounts, while the most recent one dominates. Tommy, on the other hand, has no identifiable life force. It's as if all his previous powers intertwined and filled up the 'space' where his life force should be, so the Power within him _is_ his life force. Jeez, Tommy, way to defy the laws of, well, everything!"

Tommy chuckled and propped his elbows on his knees and his chin on his knuckles. He picked up Jason's train of thought. "Of course, that still means the Power favors TJ for the Turbo powers, like it favored you over Rocky, right?"

"Yeah, no Red Turbo Ranger for you, Tommy. Hey, did you know Rocky's finally out of the hospital? He just got discharged this morning."

"No way! That's great!"

Kat shook her head good-naturedly and said to Hayley, "Let's leave the boys to gossip. I'll help you make dinner."

Hayley nodded and replied, "Sure thing. And they say women are gossips!"

The women laughed, but Kat saw that Hayley was forcing it. She put her hand on the redhead's shoulder and said comfortingly, "Hey, don't worry about it. Tommy's a lot stronger than we ever give him credit for. He'll be fine."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. So how're the wedding plans going?"

"Oh! Well, the caterer…"

* * *

_Some years later…  
_

Tommy adjusted his glasses (a nervous habit he used to tease Billy about) and gazed around the throngs of students entering the gates of Reefside High School. It was his first day as a science teacher… What was he thinking? He had a PhD in Paleontology; he didn't know how to deal with teenagers! Shaking his head to clear it of his musings, he melted into the crowd and headed towards his classroom.

A woman with short black hair and glasses came up beside him.

"Dr. Oliver," she said, "I'm Principal Randall."

"It's nice to meet you," he replied reaching out for a handshake. "It's your first day, too, isn't it?"

She ignored his hand and flipped open a folder. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. He put his hand down and listened attentively. All those years spent being a model child in Angel Grove definitely paid off in situations like these.

"Yes, and I'm still trying to figure out why a doctor of Paleontology would come all the way to Reefside to teach science to teenagers," she drawled. There was a predatory gleam in her eyes.

Tommy shook his head, smiled, and replied, "Guess I'm looking for some peace and quiet." _As if. You came here to find your rangers, but you can't exactly tell your boss that, now can you, Tommy?_

Randall stopped outside his classroom with and incredulous expression on her face. "So you became a high school teacher." Snapping her folder shut, she continued, "That doesn't really make a whole lot of sense, now does it, Dr. Oliver?"

Dr. Oliver. It still felt odd being called that. As for the peace and quiet, after being a Power Ranger, blowing up an island, fighting dinosaur-robot-crossbreeds, and building Power Ranger equipment, high school was horrifically mundane. Except, he couldn't tell his boss that, either. Time to divert the conversation.

"Y'know, I was thinking, maybe we should get together. This way, you can kind of fill me in on what you expect of me."

Randall scoffed, her eyes glinting menacingly, "I expect you to make it hard for them, painful, if at all possible. If they smile, you know you're doing something wrong. Now, I'm off to find my first truant. We'll talk later."

Did she just check him out before walking by? Tommy's brow furrowed slightly. Well there was a teacher as vastly different from Mrs. Applebee as humanly possible. Time to go meet his students.

He entered to see a room full of students in the midst of… a paper airplane fight? Part of him wanted to laugh, but he knew he had to play the part of a teacher. Ducking as a very oddly designed craft flew by him, he called out, "Guys, settle down! Get in your seats, please."

Immediately, his eyes fell on two students. A yellow-clad girl with dirty blonde hair wrote in a notebook, her lips forming soundless words, and her head lightly rocking to a beat only she could hear. A blue-clad African American boy typed on his laptop, closing the device when he saw Tommy.

Tommy strolled to the front of the class and looked at all the students.

"I'm Dr. Oliver, and this is First Period Science." _If you didn't know that, what are you doing in this classroom?_

"Before we start, are there any questions?"

A girl with pale blonde hair immediately thrust her hand up into the air and gave Tommy and winsome smile. Surprised (and mildly disturbed) Tommy called on her.

"Cassidy, Cassidy Cornell," the girl said.

The class groaned behind her. Ah. One of _those_ types, then. The girl ignored them and continued, "Dr. Oliver, as you may know, I'm the anchor and field reporter for our school TV station."

Another groan. Tommy resisted the urge to laugh again. This time Cassidy did acknowledge the groan briefly. _Oh dear. I know that look. Here comes the third degree._ She bulldozed on, "Anyway! I'm sure our viewers are wondering, well, you don't really look old enough to be a teacher."

Cassidy's eyes flicked up and down Tommy as she spoke, taking in his professional, yet casual attire. Tommy groaned inwardly and adjusted his glasses, an exasperated smile flitting about his lips. _Not another one! Hayley, Jase, and the others are going to have a field day when they find out about this! They will never let me live it down!_ He saw the yellow-clad girl hide a smile behind her long hair. _Oh yeah, laugh it up, girlie._

"Devin! Are you getting this?"

"Cassidy," Tommy interrupted, "I promise you, I am old enough, so let's put the camera away."

He raised his voice over Cassidy' irate "You missed it!" to Devin and continued, "For now, let's talk about you guys, and what you expect of yourselves for this class, because that's what's really important."

He was surprised to see his students look up at him, suspicion, curiosity, and surprise in their eyes. Seriously, what kind of science teachers had they had before this? As he looked around, a niggling sense of _absence_ caught his attention. There was an empty seat by the front, and the students around hadn't encroached on the space.

"Is someone missing?"

"It's Conner McKnight, sir," Cassidy replied, eager to please, "He's probably out on the soccer fields."

"I see. Well, I'm sure one of you can tell him what we covered today. Now, let's start with a K-W-L. How many of you know what that is?"

A few people raised their hands. He called on the blue-clad boy. "Name and answer, please."

"Ethan James. A K-W-L is a three-part list where you record what you know, what you want to know, and, at the end of the course, what you learned."

"Very good, Ethan. Now, as you're all seniors, I'm sure the K-column will be very full," Tommy said as he began writing on the chalkboard, "So, what do you know?"

He called on the yellow-clad girl.

"Kira Ford. Last year in Physics, we learned about electricity and magnetism."

"Alright. Yes, you in the back…"

* * *

By lunchtime, Tommy was left with a sense of accomplishment (and relief) that he felt back when he made the first working predecessors of the Tyrannodrones, or when he'd shaved off another second on his time around the racetrack.

_Deet-deet-deedeet-deet-deet_

Tommy flipped open his cell phone. "Oliver."

"Tommy! So how was your first day of school?"

"Hey Kat! It was pretty good, actually. Y'know I can see why you became a teaching assistant after graduation. Although, teaching five classes back-to-back is a little much. I've got my first faculty meeting after lunch."

"Five classes? That is pretty loaded for a newbie teacher. Oh dear, Michelle's crying again. I've got to go, Tommy."

"No problem. Take care, Kat. Tell Michelle and Jase I said 'hi'."

Tommy ended the call leaned back in his chair, relaxing. He flipped through his lecture notes for the next day.

_Dee-didididi-dee-didididi-doo-doo-doo-dee-didididi-dee-didididi-_

Tommy answered his phone again. "Oliver."

"Hey Tommy! How's your first day of teaching going? I've already got a couple girls down at the café gushing about how 'hot' the new science teacher is."

Tommy groaned. "Hey Hayley. Ugh, I can't believe it! You have no idea how creepy it is when half your female students are staring at you like you're a piece of meat."

"I'm sure. Well, I'm glad you're doing alright. I've got to go deal with the lunchtime crowd. Are you going to stop by after school? I'll keep the girls away from you."

"Ha ha. No, I was going to head over to the museum outside of town. I'm pretty sure the time will come soon."

"Oh? That's great!"

"Yeah…"

"Why don't you sound enthusiastic?"

"They're kids, Hayley. I can't ask them to drop everything and save the world."

"Tommy… If I remember correctly, you were only a kid as well when you were called. Don't worry about it, I know the DinoGems will choose wisely."

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Hayley. I'll let you go now."

Tommy ended the call and mused on his students. There was an innocence about them. They hadn't seen, _truly seen_, the horrors of battle, of placing your life on the line for the people of your city. He didn't want to take that away from them.

After the faculty meeting ended, Tommy returned to his classroom and gathered his papers and briefcase. As he walked down the corridors, he spotted Principal Randal coming towards him. Funny, she was wearing a new set of clothes. Oh, of course… She must have been outside during the sprinkler incident. The question was, what did she want with him? _Smile and put on your happy face, Tommy._

"Dr. Oliver! How was your first day?" she asked.

"Oh, the kids were great. No problems." The faculty meeting, on the other hand drove him up the wall. What happened to the good old days when teachers taught because they liked kids and wanted to pass on their knowledge?

"Good, you're going to be seeing a lot more of them," she remarked as they walked up the stairs, "In detention."

Wait, what? No! He had a prior engagement to worry about!

"Ah, mind telling me what I did?" _Tommy, you're an idiot. Teachers don't GET detention, they supervise it. Which is still inconvenient, because I need to leave town._

Randall rolled her eyes. "No, you're in charge of it today."

"Ah, no, actually, I have plans to go to a museum outside of town. I-"

"Perfect! Bring the little monsters with you! There should be sufficient torture for them."

She stopped in front of the three students he was supposed to supervise. His breath caught in his chest. How had he missed this before? Conner McKnight, dressed in red. Kira Ford, dressed in yellow. Ethan James, dressed in blue. Red Ranger, Yellow Ranger, Blue Ranger. He could sense an… emptiness… in them, as if they were waiting to be filled… filled with the Power.

_Oh, this is going to be SO much fun. Makes sense why Ethan and Kira were the first ones I noticed in class._

He blinked as Randall walked away. Hopefully he hadn't missed anything important. He swallowed and turned to the sullen teens standing against the wall. Taking off his glasses, he asked, "So. You guys like museums?"

They probably made a very odd picture as they trooped to his ride. In fact, all three teens gaped at his black jeep.

"What did you expect," he chuckled, "An '87 Buick? Strap yourselves in. The museum is about half an hour inland."

Conner immediately called shotgun, while Ethan and Kira rolled their eyes and took the back seats. As he drove down, his eyes periodically drifted to the three teens in his car, feeling the Power (or absence thereof) more strongly. Eventually, Conner blurted out, "Dude, stop looking at us. We're not going to do anything."

Tommy's lips twitched. So he'd been caught out. He replied, "Conner, don't call me 'dude'. As for not doing anything, you three are the only ones who managed to get detention on the first day of school. The last people I knew who did that were the school bullies at my old high school."

He broke into a grin as he remembered Bulk and Skull. He'd last seen them before the Serpenterra mission, and they had been in more than a little awe at seeing him decked out in a suit, staying at a five-star hotel, and working with the brilliant Anton Mercer. Noting the teens' curious expressions, he explained, "Bulk and Skull spent most of their time sitting in detention, harassing other students, and getting food all over themselves.

"Getting food all over themselves?" Ethan asked.

"Yeah, I can't tell you the number of times they've fallen headfirst into a trashcan. At some point, they got into their heads that women liked men in uniform and joined the Junior Police Force."

Tommy broke off and sniggered as he ran through several choice memories he had of the pair. He continued, "They drove poor Lt. Stone up the wall. They now own a small café in front of the Hilton outside Angel Grove."

"Wow," Kira said, "Well, we're not like that. I'm just here because Principal Randall said I needed 'written permission to perform on school grounds'."

Tommy glanced back at her via the rearview mirror. "Huh. That's odd. I'd figure she'd let it slide, since kids who play an instrument are fifty percent more likely to get into a good college."

"That's what I said!" Kira exclaimed. "And then she said that I wasn't college material!"

"Dude, Randall is totally hardcore. I heard she worked in a prison before coming to Reefside," Conner added.

Tommy laughed. "Yeah, that one was floating around the Teacher's Lounge, too. But her credentials are obviously legitimate, since the school board has approved her. So what are you boys in for?"

"She reamed me out for playing soccer this morning. So unfair," Conner groused.

Tommy raised an eyebrow and replied mildly, "It is state law that you attend your assigned class during the school day. Ethan?"

"She thinks I had something to do with the sprinkler incident."

"Did you?"

"Maybe. But there's no proof!"

"Apart from you being the only student to carry an umbrella and not be surprised when the sprinklers went off and the code for the sprinkler systems stored on your laptop," Tommy retorted.

"Hey! How did you know I had code for the sprinkler systems on my laptop?'

Tommy grinned. "I didn't, but thank you for proving my suspicions correct.

Kira giggled, while Conner crowed, "Dude, you got owned!" and Ethan whined, "Aw man, that was so not cool!"

A companionable silence fell over the group as Tommy continued driving. For a brief second, he almost thought he saw a Tyrannodrone at the side of the road, but he pushed the thought away. The island had been completely destroyed. As they veered off the exit, Conner asked, "So… why are you going to this museum, Dr. O?"

_I want to check on the DinoGems and prepare the DinoMorphers in case you three are the next generation of Power Rangers. I also want to check the morphing grid to see if any of the other DinoGems have activated._

"One of my colleagues has an exhibit there: _Parasaurolophus walkeri_ and _psittacosaurus mongliensis_. It's more about the recovery method than the specimens themselves, though. I told him I'd check it out."

All three of them stared at him blankly. Tommy chuckled abashedly. "Sorry. Paleontologist moment. I'm just doing a friend a favor."

"You could have just said that," Conner muttered. Just then, Ethan said excitedly, "Whoa! Check out the T-Rex!"

There was something frighteningly familiar about that statue. It looked so _real_. _Alright, Tommy, you've spending too much time with your nose buried in a paleontology journal. Time to start figuring out how to ditch the kids for a bit._

They got out of the jeep and walked up to the front… which was chained shut.

"That's weird," Tommy muttered. The museum's website said they'd be open 9-5 for the rest of the month.

"Oh well, no museum for us," Conner said with a fake sigh.

"Great! Let's go home," Kira agreed.

_Not so fast. I still need to get downstairs and check on the DinoGems. You can roam around the land, for all I care._

"I'll tell you what, why don't you guys have a look around the grounds. If any of you guys find anything prehistoric, I'll cancel detention for the rest of the week." _Because I want to deal with detention even less than you do, trust me._

"Sweet," Ethan replied.

"I'm going to see if I can find someone who can tell us when they're opening up." _It's much easier to get underground through the museum than by falling into a pit somewhere in the woods. Of course, if you're truly the ones, that's what'll happen to you._

The teens left, and Tommy went around the chain posts to the museum's glass doors. He read the sign, "In case of emergency, call Anton Mercer Industries?"

_ANTON MERCER?!_

"Anton Mercer? That's impossible!"

Anton Mercer was missing. Heck, _he_ was the one who had to make the call when his friend hadn't contacted him two days after the island blew up. If Anton really was back, why hadn't he said anything? Tommy felt a pang of hurt. Why hadn't his friend called him? Was he that upset about the island? No, Anton wasn't the type to stay silent about something he was upset over. If Anton were really angry, he'd have said (yelled) something.

_Anton… what's been going on with you these past years? Why didn't you call me? What was that?_

For a moment, he could have sworn he saw a Tyrannodrone out of the corner of his eye. Something was seriously wrong here. He shook his head and started walking back to his jeep. Three steps later, he froze.

The T-Rex statue was missing.

A pit of dread formed in his stomach. "Where did…"

His brow furrowed and he instinctively took a few steps back. Turning around, he saw a strange shadow on the ground. It was almost shaped like a… dinosaur head… _Oh_.

He looked up to see a very _alive_ T-Rex roar at him. The T-Rex leaned over so that its razor sharp teeth were less than a foot away from Tommy. It huffed maliciously, almost as if preparing to taste an exquisite meal. The ex-ranger immediately tensed and launched a kick at the beast's nose. It backed off in pain and roared angrily.

_Smart move, Tommy. Kick it and make it mad. Way to forget everything you learned in college about dinosaurs. Seriously, HOW did you survive so long as a Ranger?_

He ran towards his jeep, grateful that he had left his coat and briefcase in the vehicle. It was getting a little warm out. He leaped into the driver's seat and locked the door.

"Great, yeah, lock the door, Tommy. Real good," he chastised himself as he fumbled for his keys. _You're in a topless jeep, locking the door doesn't make any difference!_

"Come on," he snarled as he started up the ignition. _Don't you dare fail on me now!_ When the jeep finally started, he shifted gears into reverse and floored the accelerator. Righting the jeep, he shifted into drive and sped away.

_Here's to breaking several traffic and safety regulations more than my career's worth! Come on, T-Rex, let's see how well you do on the highway!_

Tommy glanced back to see the dinosaur head-butt his jeep and found himself veering off course. _Foot on the accelerator, Oliver! Faster, faster! Where is that overpass when I need it?_

There! After an incredibly tense minute of speeding, he spotted the overpass. Hopefully, at the speed they were going, the T-Rex wouldn't. In fact, it most likely wouldn't given the position of the dinosaur's eyes and its focus on Tommy's jeep. He drove under and swerved to a stop when he heard the telltale sound of metal hitting concrete. Getting out of his jeep, he knelt by the head of the fallen dinosaur. Oh no…

_No! No no no! All this stuff was supposed to have been destroyed! Please, let there be some mistake! That cannot be the technology Anton and I were working on all those years ago… Except that it is… I know that circuitry; I designed it. Anton? Did you create this? Why would you send it after me? Or did Mesogog survive?_

Another thought struck him. _The Tyrannodrones! They really are here! Shoot, and I sent the kids out into the woods!_

He ran back to his jeep and headed back to the museum. He wasn't disappointed. A group of Tyrannodrones was moving into the forest.

"Oi, scaly freaks! Stay away from my students!"

The Tyrannodrones turned to him and he readied himself for a fight. Kick. Punch. Block. Duck. Kick. Kick. Watch out for that – ow! Roll away. Jump up with an uppercut. Was that a scream?

A few minutes later, Tommy was slightly out of breath and malfunctioning Tyrannodrones lay around him. He blinked and nearly missed the green light that sucked them up.

_What the heck? Never mind. I hope Conner, Ethan, and Kira are alright._

He jogged through the woods and found them together a little ways in.

"Hey!"

All three of them immediately put something in their pockets. Did they find the gems?

"Are you guys alright?"

"Well uh-" Kira began, but Ethan interrupted, "Yeah, couldn't be better." Conner just nodded in agreement.

_Wow, you guys are horrible liars. Then again, my BS-detector is much better than a normal person's._

He looked at them suspiciously, asking, "Nothing out of the ordinary happened?"

"Nah," Ethan replied, making a face, "Just a regular hike in the woods. Lots of furry little creatures."

"And a few scaly ones," Kira muttered.

_Thank you, Kira. Now I'm more certain you had to fight off a couple Tyrannodrones. I'm impressed you're unharmed._

Tommy narrowed his eyes slightly. The emptiness was gone… All three of them seemed… more complete now, though he couldn't sense the Power in them as in any of the other rangers.

"So," Conner said, trying to divert his suspicion, "Did you get into the dino exhibit?"

_Dino exhibit? Oh, that. I should probably talk to Michael and let him know that I saw his exhibit a week ago._

"Ah, still working the kinks out. We'd better get you guys back. Come on." _I'd rather not have to explain to you how I can fight Tyrannodrones so well and why I'm not afraid of them._

He stopped when he noticed the lack of footsteps behind him. The teens were whispering amongst themselves a few feet back. _Okay, so the chances they either fought Tyrannodrones or found the gems, or both, just increased significantly._

"You guys coming?"

As he dropped them off back at the school a little over fifteen minutes later (none of the teens commented on his increased speed on the return trip), he said, "It's been a little over an hour since school ended, so you should be able to catch the late bus home, if you need to."

He watched them walk away, using the next few seconds to calm himself down again. He needed to get home and check the video feed to his lab under the museum. On the ride home, he marveled at the weather and the breeze rushing through his short hair. _Why would anyone want to taint this?_

He opened the door to his home and gave his living room a cursory glance. Nothing out of place, that was good. Allowing the door to swing shut behind him, he opened his briefcase and pulled out his laptop. Checking the sensors around his home revealed that there had been no intruders, not even animals.

"Better activate maximum security levels," he murmured to himself, "So pretty much no one with evil intent can get in without being electrocuted. I need to remember to thank Andros the next time I see him."

He pulled down the jaw of one of his favorite dinosaur models and the rug and floorboards rose up.

_Home sweet Dinolair. First things first, check the morphers._

The morphers were still safe. Tommy had to laugh at himself. He had planned to work on the morphers at the museum, but in the end, he had forgotten them at home. After all these years, he still hadn't been able to get rid of his forgetful nature.

Just then, the lights flickered, alerting him that someone had entered his property. Sure enough, he heard a muffled "Dr. Oliver?" from upstairs.

_Is that Conner? What is he doing here? Why is he breaking into my house? I swear, if this is some kind of prank, or trick to get out of detention, I will put him in detention for the rest of the school year._

The trapdoor flipped open, and Tommy slid back into the shadows. His ire peaked when Ethan James _and_ Conner McKnight stepped down. Future Power Rangers or not, he did _not_ want to deal with two teenaged boys right now. Especially when they broke into his home uninvited! As they gawked at their surroundings, he stepped up behind them. Ethan's "It's the same place!" told him that they had definitely been to the lab under the museum. His jaw set, he said, "If you're looking for extra credit, you're in the _wrong_ place."  


* * *

A/N: Whew, that was _long_. 25 pages long, to be honest. I have episode two written, most of episode three, half of episodes four, five, and six, and then a few more scattered scenes. Updates will be slow.

Aside from that, please leave a review!


	2. Day of the Dino Pt 2

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and everyone who read! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside to know that someone's paying attention. And now, onto the story!

A/N (1 Feb. 2010): Sorry, I had to make two very small edits to this chapter, detailed further at the end of chapter 5, so if you've read it already, you don't have to read it again.

* * *

**Day of the Dino Pt. 2:**

The boys whirled around in shock and a slight bit of fear. Good to know he could still intimidate when he needed to. Ethan held up his arms placating-ly and said, "Dr. O, before you go off, can we explain why we're here?"

_Oh, this should be good. How DO you explain breaking into private property, boys?_

"Dude, he's just going to laugh if we tell him," Conner muttered as Tommy closed the distance between them. _If you thought I was going to laugh, why did you come here in the first place? I'm really not in the mood for this, McKnight!_

"It's the truth! He'll believe us," Ethan protested.

"Alright," Conner acquiesced, "Kira's gone."

Puzzlement overrode Tommy's wrath. They broke into his house to tell him that?

"She got taken by these weird-looking dinosaur-things," Ethan explained.

Tommy's heart plummeted. _Oh no. Not Kira._ He looked away down to the side, so that the teens wouldn't see the turmoil in his eyes.

"He' doesn't look convinced," Conner said to Ethan.

Tommy turned back and started pacing. He needed to punch something. Or get punched, that would work, too. _This was never supposed to happen! My work was supposed to further the boundaries of science and be for the GOOD of mankind, not its endangerment!_

"They're called Tyrannodrones," he said.

"And you know this because?" Ethan queried.

Tommy held back an ashamed sigh. "I helped create them."

"Oh. Class project?"

Tommy shook his head. _Sarcasm will get you nowhere, Ethan._

"It's a long story." _A very long story, starting all the back when I was a grad student and met Anton Mercer. Actually, it started before then, when I found the DinoGems while I was working on my Master's degree._

"For now, we need to figure out what they want with Kira."_ Conner, why do you look so guilty?_

"It… might have something to do with this," he said, pulling something out of his pocket.

Tommy's heart nearly stopped. Conner held the yellow DinoGem in his hand. _The power of the Pterodactyl. That explains the scream I heard when fighting those Tyrannodrones._

"Where did you get this?" he asked quietly.

"We found it in a cave out by the museum," Ethan replied. The boy went on to explain the battles they had fought against the Tyrannodrones and Kira's subsequent departure. Tommy felt a slight spark of anger at that. Kira had done a foolish thing in giving up her gem. If it hadn't finished bonding with her DNA, she'd have no chance of getting away from Mesogog. Apparently, it showed on his face.

"We're really sorry," Conner said, "How were we supposed to know those things had superpowers and those lizard dudes were going to come looking for them?"

He had a point. Kira didn't know what the gems were. None of them had any idea what they were getting into.

_Argh! There are so many ways this could have gone better. Alright, how do I go about this? I guess it's time to test your mettle._

"Heh. I guess this isn't something you see everyday," he replied.

"Sort of like a science teacher with the ruins of an ancient civilization under his house?" Ethan retorted.

_Ancient civilization? Don't be ridiculous, Ethan. I built this myself, with Hayley's help and some alien resources from Onyx. Nothing ancient about it. Oi, who said you could wander around my lab? If you break anything, I swear I will go evil Green Ranger on you!_

"Look," Conner said, "Not that this isn't all really cool, but seriously dude, you gotta come clean."

_What part of "Don't call me dude" do you not understand? Didn't your parents teach you to respect your teachers?_

"'Kay, first of all, don't call me 'dude'. Second, as hard as this may seem, you two need to forget all about this. _I'll_ find Kira."

_Seeing as I know where she is, that shouldn't be too hard. Come on, boys. Prove to me, prove to yourselves, that you are worth the Power that has chosen you._

Conner reappeared in front of him in a red flash, a defiant and determined expression on his face.

_Bingo. Don't think I don't know you're smirking behind me, Ethan. I'm a teacher and a veteran Power Ranger, I don't miss much._

A small smile crept across Tommy's face. "The gem's powers are already starting to bond with you." _You really are going to be a Power Ranger._

"You can tell us all about it now, or at my next parent-teacher conference," the teen replied.

_Threatening a veteran ranger? Oh wait, you think I'm just a science teacher. Still not a smart move, Red. Bold, but not smart. You've still quite a ways to go._

"We don't exactly have time for this. Come with me, I know a way we can find Kira."

Tommy reset the alarm on his sensors, ignoring the looks on his students' faces. Explanations of alien technology could come later. Way later. For now, he had to find a way to hijack the Invisiportal network and find Kira. As he drove, Ethan asked Tommy, "When you said you helped create those Tyranno-whatevers, you were just kidding, right?"

_Why would I kid about something like this? Though, you have no idea how much I wish I were kidding right now._

"They weren't supposed to be used like this," Tommy replied, "Someone's modified their programming." _Mesogog, you evil monster_. "A few years back, I was doing research combining dinosaur DNA with technology." _Combining old and new… Sounds poetic, doesn't it?_ "My partner, a scientist named Anton Mercer-"

"The rich guy who disappeared years ago," Ethan interrupted.

"Yep. Shortly after Mercer disappeared, out lab was attacked. All of our research was destroyed, or at least, I thought it was." _More like, I hoped with every fiber of my being it was_.

Conner, who until now had been gazing at the scenery in boredom, asked, "And the guy who did this is back?"

_Would I be telling you this if he weren't? Would you even be here if he weren't? _

"He calls himself Mesogog," Tommy said as he pulled up to a stop sign. There should be a portal near here somewhere.

"Well, this is all totally fascinating, and all, but how it helping us find Kira?" Ethan prodded, "I mean, she's not going to fall out of the sky and land right in front of us."

Which is exactly what Kira did. The teens bolted out of the jeep and helped Kira off the car.

"Whoa! How did you do that?"

"I have no idea," the girl replied, "One minute I'm being chased by Franken-lizards, and the next thing I know, I'm a hood ornament!"

"Invisiportals," Tommy muttered.

"Whatever," Kira replied dismissively, "Next time, I'm calling a cab… What are you guys doing here?"

Tommy's eye twitched a little at the dismissal, but he reminded himself that she didn't know anything about him, the lab, or the gems. _Patience is a virtue, Tommy. Granted, it's not one often found in former racecar drivers._

"We came to rescue you!" Ethan protested.

"Nice job! Way to show up when I don't need you anymore!"

As if on cue, Tommy saw the telltale green light of an Invisiportal opening. Sure enough, several Tyrannodrones and an odd cyborg with a sword appeared at the crest of the hill. Oh joy, a battle. Just what he needed after his first day of school.

"You sure about that?" Conner asked.

All three teens shifted to a fighting stance, and Tommy stepped between them and the approaching enemy. Rolling his shoulders back, he took a casual fighting stance and allowed his confidence to show. Basic intimidation tactics.

"Mesogog find a new goon to do his dirty work?" he scoffed.

"You are not fit to speak my master's name," the cyborg snarled. Of course, that could just have been how his voice sounded normally. _And 'you are not fit to speak my master's name'? Please, they all say that. Heck, I even said that at the beginning._

"Come with me peacefully, or suffer the consequences," he demanded.

Tommy smirked, tensing his muscles. "I'm going to have to say… No."

With a roar, the fight began. Tommy ducked out of a claw's path and used his jeep as leverage. When the Tyrannodrones managed to evade his attacks, he smirked and commented, "Looks like Mesogog made a few adjustments."

His eyes flashed and his blood was pumping. He would probably feel this in the morning, but for right now the adrenaline was blocking any pain. He'd almost forgotten the thrill of battle, especially one he knew he could win. Just then he noticed the cyborg wielding a long, sharp sword. He pushed out his door and used it as a shield, momentarily wincing at the screech of metal against metal. There went his paint job. He catapulted himself up and over out of his enemy's way, but not before taking a few bruises from his own car – those metal corners hurt!

He jumped off and landed back on the road feet-first. Allowing his body to fight on autopilot, which would probably only last 30 seconds, he took a quick note of how the others were doing. Kira let out a scream that knocked the Tyrannodrones away. Conner was a red blur, knocking his opponents unconscious. Ethan's skin had changed slightly, allowing him to withstand more damage and deal harder punches. Interesting. He could see how each of their powers correlated to their personality. Kira, the singer, got the scream. Conner, the star forward, got the speed. And Ethan, the one who'd probably had to defend himself from bullies for being who he was, got the armored skin.

Tommy found himself on his back. The cyborg said, "You're no match for me."

_You really want me to go evil Green Ranger on you? Because I can promise you won't walk out of the experience in one piece._

With a final kick that sent the cyborg spinning back several feet, Tommy regrouped with the teens. Breathing deeply, he started to calm himself down.

"Make sure you tell your master, Dr. Oliver's back," Tommy told him. _You're going down, Mesogog. I swear it!_

"I will inform him this battle is over, but the war has only just begun," the cyborg replied before vanishing in the green light.

_Sounds more like you were informing me, buddy. And now, damage control with the teenagers._

"That's the best he could do?" Ethan asked.

_Hardly, Ethan. He was probably just testing the waters. A good fighter knows when to retreat so he can fight another day… We should do the same. I noticed you massaging your ribs, kid._

"Let's get out of here. It's getting late. I don't want your parents to worry."

"I bet you don't," Conner snarked. His entire posture and tone screamed defiance. If this got any further, Conner was probably going to try and fight _him_. "You might have to _explain_ something!"

"I'll fill you in tomorrow after school, I promise," Tommy compromised.

The teens exchanged exasperated looks and climbed in. When he dropped each of them off at their homes, he spent about five minutes apologizing profusely to their parents for keeping them out so late and how since it was his first day supervising detention _ever_ he really had no idea how late it had gotten, and just felt obligated to drive them home, for their safety, of course, since it was his fault they'd missed the bus. The Fords and McKnights weren't bothered at all, since Kira stayed out late regularly for rehearsals, and Conner for practice, and Mr. James even offered him a drink. He wanted to smirk at the teens' gobsmacked expressions at how he so easily had their parents believing every word he said.

_Having a good BS-detector means I can also BS my way through just about anything, kids. You spend four plus years of your life as a Power Ranger and see how good you are at explaining your way out of a sticky situation._

By the time Tommy returned to his house, the sun had set. He entered his kitchen and began preparing a simple dinner of salad and leftover lasagna. He had a rule: No work, problems, or anything remotely mentally taxing during meals, three meals a day. No exceptions.

Fifteen minutes later, Tommy was back in his lab, typing at his computer with a cup of coffee. He was _so_ in for a long night. He had to run some final tests on the morphers, to make sure they wouldn't randomly malfunction and try to kill his students. He needed to scan the morphing grid and make sure that no more energies had popped up. He could hold off on informing the other former rangers of the new team until they actually morphed – the ripple in the Universal Morphing Grid of the first morph would alert pretty much everyone who'd ever used the Power.

Ranger business aside, he still had lesson plans to write, bills to pay, and a paper he was working on for the next quarter's issue of _Paleobiology_.

_Wow, this is almost as fun as writing my thesis for my Master's!_

His thoughts drifted back to his ranger days. There were the nightmarish weeks as the evil Green Ranger, then the acceptance of his team and position of Green Ranger under Zordon. He'd then lost his powers, only to gain a new set as the White Ranger. If that weren't enough, those powers had been destroyed, so Zordon sent them off to gain their Ninjetti powers. After that, they had their Zeo Quests, and his subsequent color change to Red Zeo Ranger. Then there was the journey to Muranthias and his brief stint as Red Turbo Ranger. He'd done quite a bit, hadn't he? And now, he was going to play mentor to a new team.

_If they accept_, he reminded himself, _Just because you know you can never escape the Power, doesn't mean they won't rebel anyway. They have the right to choose what they want to do with their lives._

Conner would be the biggest problem, the one most likely to fight against the Power. The only thing important to him was his soccer, and why not? He was brilliant at it. He and Carlos should get together sometime. Kira probably wouldn't be so much of a problem. She might give it up if it interfered with her music too much, but if the concern with which she'd eyed Conner and Ethan for injuries in the jeep was any indication, she already thought of herself as part of a team. Besides, she spend most of his class period working on her lyrics anyway. Ethan would be no problem until they got into a particularly difficult battle, or tension between Conner and Kira ran too high.

_Oh, tomorrow is going to be lots of fun, I can just tell._

_

* * *

_

The next morning, a tired and surviving-mostly-on-coffee Dr. Tommy Oliver entered his classroom to hear Cassidy Cornell complain about the fluorescent lighting. And no wonder, she did look a little pasty_.  
_

"Cassidy? Unless you plan on giving a lecture on the Mesozoic Period, I suggest you take your seat," he said mildly, when she was the only one still standing.

_I love dinosaurs, I really do_, he thought to himself as he looked over his notes. Cassidy gave him a weak smile and sat down.

"Thank you. Okay! Who can tell me when it all began?"

As if on cue, a massive earthquake shook the school. The sky outside darkened until it was completely black, with scattered streaks of lightning.

_Oh, come on! Now, really? Curse you, Mesogog. I'm running on three hours of sleep here!_

"-Wack report about mechanical dinosaurs attacking downtown!"

Tommy's head snapped to Devin and Cassidy. Mechanical dinosaurs? Oh _no_, the BioZords! It had been around midnight when he remembered the BioZords, and he had spent the next three hours scanning for them. If Mesogog revived them, things just got a lot messier.

"Wait, hold it, you two," he said as he saw them prepare to leave. There was no way he was going to let them be caught in the crossfire. Just then, Randall came over the PA and his attention was diverted. Remain calm indeed. When he looked back, Cassidy and Devin, along with most of the class, had left.

_Here's to hoping they went to the front of the school like Randall said and not downtown._

"Dr. O? Now would be a good time to have that little chat," Kira said. She, Ethan, and Conner were the only ones left.

"We're out of time. If Mesogog revived the BioZords, we gotta act fast. Come with me."

_Bear with me a little longer, you guys. I know you're probably ticked off at me right now. I know there were several moments when I was mad at Zordon. I really was going to fill you in after school, and then look for the BioZords, but Mesogog threw a wrench in that plan._

"I can't believe Mesogog found them before I did. How did he even know they existed?" Tommy muttered to himself. The silence as he drove back to his house was tense, and the black clouds and lightning over their heads did little to alleviate it.

"Come this way, and please, no Batman references," he said as he directed them downstairs. Kira finally asked, "So these mechanical dinosaurs, they're your friends?"

_I wish. Though, I doubt they could compare to my Dragonzord or my Falconzord_.

"BioZords," he replied, "Fusion-powered replicates using actual dinosaur DNA for their neural functions."

"Wait, let me guess," Ethan responded, "You helped build them."

_Don't sound so sarcastic. I DO have a PhD. I'm more than capable._

"I'm afraid so," Tommy replied," But right now we – I mean you, have to tame them."

_I'm not their leader; I'm just their mentor. I can't go out and help them tame the Zords, no matter how much I want to._

All three teens stared back at him with a 'what-the-heck-are-you-on-about' expression on their faces.

"I'll BBL, if that's okay with you," Ethan said as he turned to leave.

_I may be young, but I'm not that young, Ethan. I'm about five years behind on teen slang._

"What's that mean?"

"Be back later."

_Whoa. And I thought Conner would be the first to leave. I must be losing my touch._

"Ethan, wait! You can do this." _You wouldn't have been chosen otherwise._ "But you won't have to do it alone. Ever since I found the DinoGems, I've had these waiting, in case I ever needed to harness their power." _More or less. An exploding island and graduate school might have gotten in the way, but that's not important._

Tommy walked back to a table with an innocuous silver box on it.

"Into what?" Kira asked.

Tommy opened the box and revealed three small devices colored red, yellow, and blue.

"DinoMorphers. Use these to become Power Rangers."

_And cue the you're-off-your-rocker faces._

"I need to sit down," Ethan said weakly. Conner grabbed him and instructed, "Breathe, dude."

Kira was the first to protest, "We can't be Power Rangers!"

Tommy raised an eyebrow. _Oh, and why not?_

She continued, "Aren't you supposed to fly, and have superhuman strength, and stuff like that?"

_The superhuman strength was Katie and Ryan. She's from the future, and he was raised by demons. Don't know that any of us flew, unless you count flying in our Zords, which was awesome. Or perhaps Shane, with his Power of Air._

Tommy inclined his head towards her slightly, saying, "You do."

"Oh yeah… I forgot."

"Your gems are from the asteroid that crashed into Earth millions of years ago, wiping out the entire dinosaur population." That same asteroid acted as the catalyst for the emergence of the Morphing Grid on Earth. Hence, some of Zordon's first rangers called upon the powers of the dinosaurs.

"When I found them, I recognized their Power and hid them, so they wouldn't fall into the wrong hands." _Sometimes going through so many sets of powers really does come in handy. And I know what you're going to ask, Conner – How do you know these are the right hands?_

Conner asked, "How do you know _these_ are the right hands?"

_Bingo._

"The gems are _yours_. You didn't chose them, they chose _you_," Tommy replied as he crossed back over to his computer system.

"Can't they un-choose us?" Kira wondered.

"They've already bonded with your DNA; that's what's giving you your powers." _And trust me, Earth doesn't have sufficiently advanced DNA-splicing technology that you would live through the process._

"So if they're already bonded with us, how come Mesogog and his creeps are still after them?"

_Good question, Ethan, and you're not going to like the answer. Heck, I hate the answer, but I'm not going to lie to you. _

"The only way these powers can be taken away is if you're destroyed."

"Uhh… for future reference, that's not a great selling point," Ethan replied.

Tommy gazed back at them, doing the best to hide his inner turmoil. _I know, Ethan. I've spent plenty of sleepless night wondering why and how I could put anyone through this. If I could prevent you from facing this danger and do it myself, I would. I wholeheartedly would._

"Look," Conner said, breaking the tense silence, "All I know is, I don't remember asking to be a superhero."

_I never asked to be enslaved by Rita Repulsa and be forced to cause mass destruction to Angel Grove and nearly kill the Power Rangers. Would you have preferred that?_

Tommy walked back to the box and replied, "The gems wouldn't have ended up bonded with you if you didn't already have something inside you that could handle the Power." _Like your leadership, Conner, or your intelligence, Ethan, or your compassion, Kira. Or even the integrity that you all possess or the determination to protect your city that I can see building in your eyes. I know you saw the destruction as we drove back, and I know you'll do what it takes to stop it._

"Please," he said, pushing the box towards them. The morphers seemed to glitter with their own life with their chosen rangers so close. The three teens reached out and took the morphers. Tommy caught a flash of surprise in their eyes and they felt the Power enter them.

"So now what?" Ethan asked, "Do we need some sort of special password or command?"

_Someone obviously pays attention to the Power Rangers when they're on the news._

"All you have to do is say 'DinoThunder! Power Up!' and you'll be transformed. You'll know what to do."

Conner looked at him incredulously. "DinoThunder." Turning to Ethan, he scoffed, "What, did you come up with that?"

Ethan shrugged and grinned. "I kinda like it."

"You would."

_Watch it, Red. At least your morphing call isn't It's-Morphin'-Time-Zeo-Ranger-Five-Red! Or Shift-Into-Turbo-Red-Lightning-Turbo-Power! Man, those were a mouthful. Horrible for transforming in the middle of a battle._

"Look. I know you three are from different worlds. I get it." _My best friends were a jock, a geek, a preppy gymnast, a dancer, and an Asian girl-next-door._ "But you're going to have to work together, or this'll never work. This won't be easy. Nobody knows that better than I do." _Three colors and five powers over more than four years, and I still morphed several times after that. Only Andros, Leo, Wes, and Eric even come close to that._ "But you're going to have to _believe_ in yourselves… Because I believe in you."

"Really?" Conner asked. Tommy saw the insecurity flicker in his eyes. When was the last time someone believed Conner was good for anything other than soccer?

"Really," Tommy affirmed.

"Let's do it, then," he said. Ethan and Kira agreed.

Tommy smiled and led them back up to his jeep. As they drove to the main attack site, Connor's eyes occasionally darted to him, while the others stared in awe at their morphers.

"Okay, this is it," Tommy said as they jumped out of his jeep.

"That must be them," Conner muttered as he stared at the several-story high metal creatures.

"Wow, good call, Conner," Kira retorted.

Just then, a red wormhole appeared in the air to their side, transforming into a very familiar cyborg.

_Well, that's new. I'm guessing it's not an Invisiportal, since it's not green._

"You'll have to get past me before you get those Zords," he said.

"That's the part I'm looking forward to," Conner replied.

"You guys ready?" Ethan asked.

"Oh yeah," Kira replied.

Their stances shifted and they called out, "DinoThunder! Power Up! HA!"

Three flashes of light later, a Red Ranger, Blue Ranger, and Yellow Ranger faced the cyborg. Tommy hid a grin as they exclaimed over their suits. He remembered the excitement over his early morphs all too well.

"Power Rangers," the cyborg snarled.

"Call your weapons!" Tommy ordered, "They're in your belt."

The Tyranno Staff, Tricera Shield, and Ptera Grips. He remembered his Dragon Dagger and his Zeo Sword quite fondly. They were his favorite weapons.

"Enough," the cyborg snarled, and summoned a horde of Tyrannodrones.

_And there's that familiar green. Alrighty, then. Show me what you got, Tyrannodrones!_

Tommy didn't have too much trouble with the Tyrannodrones surrounding him, as most of the horde was focused on the Power Rangers. Unfortunately so was the cyborg. Tommy's heart swelled with pride as he watched the rangers, _his_ rangers, take down the Tyrannodrones. He winced as they fell under the cyborg's onslaught. Rushing over to them, he called out, "Rangers! Combine your weapons!"

One attack later, the villain was forced to retreat. Tommy looked on with pride and approval. They were going to be just fine.

"You showed me your weapons, now, meet mine!" the monster snarled.

He disappeared in a flash of red light and their attention fell on the raging metal dinosaurs. Oh, and there was a giant airship shooting lasers at them. That was bad, too. The rangers all regrouped around Tommy, as he was obviously the only one not scared out of his mind. The laser beams rained down and the street exploded around them.

Ethan asked desperately, "How do we fight _that_?"

"You've got to tame the Zords! Concentrate, your morphers will communicate your thoughts to them."

_In retrospect, that wasn't the most brilliant of ideas, given my history with the Red Battlezord. However, once you've formed a mental connection with them, they can almost never be taken away. The bond you'll forge will serve you well as Power Rangers._

It was the most indescribable feeling as Tommy watched them tame their Zords, especially when Conner brought the most unruly one of them all, the Tyrannozord, under control. _Is this how you felt, Zordon, Alpha, Dimitria, when you watched us fight? This roller coaster of worry and pride? I can only imagine._

"Only one more thing to do," Tommy told them, "Bring them together. You can do it." _I have faith in you, Rangers._

Watching the Thundersaurus Megazord in action was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Tommy knew the controls required all three rangers to be working in harmony, and he couldn't be prouder of their success as they destroyed the airship on their first mission.

"Whoa! That was awesome!" Ethan crowed as they demorphed. The Zords vanished in a streak of energy.

"Hey! Where'd they go?" Kira demanded.

"Don't worry. They should have returned to the caves by my house. They'll be available should you need them in battle. Now, let's get out of here."

"Dude, check it out! The sky's clearing up! Do you think we'll have to go back to school?" Conner wondered.

"Aw man, I hope not."

Tommy chuckled and started his jeep. "Don't worry, you probably won't." _I, on the other hand, generally did have to be in school. After the first few monster attacks at Angel Grove, the school board stopped canceling school and treated it as if it was a severe weather situation. I will laugh if that happens here._

Back under Tommy's house, Tommy presented the teens with three bracelets.

"Keep these with you at all times. They'll access your morphers when you need them. And, you can use these to communicate with me, and each other."

_It's a pity Hayley and I never got around to programming teleportation into them. That would probably save you a lot of time._

Kira asked, "Dr. O? I know you're real smart and a science teacher, and everything, but this is… I mean, how did you…?"

"I'll fill you in. In time." _My ranger history is long, and kind of messy. And, I need permission from the others to actually tell you, since it's not just my tale to tell. We, for all that we'll be working together for the foreseeable future, barely know each other. The Rangers I DO know, on the other hand, are going to jump me in a matter of minutes, and I SO do not need you going fanboy/girl on us._

"Speaking of time, do you think Mesogog's going to stick around for a while?" Ethan asked.

"Unfortunately, they always do." _It's very annoying. Rita and Zedd plagued Earth for what, five, six years? And it wasn't even Zordon's original team that ended their reign of terror. It was thanks to Andros and his team, after Astronema had conquered the known Universe under the Evil Alliance. Let's hope the same situation doesn't repeat with Mesogog._

"They?" Conner repeated.

_Oops. Didn't mean to say that. Not yet, anyway._

"I know this is a lot to take in," Tommy said.

"That's for sure," came Ethan's rejoinder.

"You're lives just changed in ways you couldn't possibly have imagined." _I know mine did._ "But as long as you work together – and remember, you're a team," _No lone rangers on my watch. Lone rangers get hurt, killed, and turned evil. Just ask Andros, Ryan, Eric, and Merrick. _"No one can defeat you. No one." _The Power won't allow it. I won't allow it._

The teens looked at each other and then back at him. They nodded somberly, and with a hint of pride and confidence. 'We can do this' their expressions said. Tommy nodded back at them.

"Good. Now go on, get out of here. Enjoy your day off!"

The teens grinned and headed out.

"Bye, Dr. Oliver!"

"Later, dude!"

"See you, Dr. O!"

"Conner! Don't call me 'dude'!"

He sighed as he heard their retreating laughter. Conner's car was still there from last night, so they would have no trouble getting home, or wherever they needed to be. And now, he got to face his teammates.

He sat at the computer and began typing. A few seconds later, a message popped up on the screen.

_Zordon's Rangers: 5 waiting_

_Turbo Rangers: 1 waiting_

_Andros' Rangers: 3 waiting_

_Lost Galaxy Rangers: 3 waiting_

_Lightspeed Rescue: 6 waiting_

_Time Force: 1 waiting_

_Wild Force: 5 waiting_

_Ninja Storm: 2 waiting_

_Good grief, this is going to be messy. Seriously, did EVERYONE decide to contact me? Aren't there several time differences? Heck, two of these teams are off-world! Billy, I love you for setting this network up, but right now I'm sorely tempted to hit you._

Tommy clicked on the dialogue box and spread the 27 windows out over his three computer screens. In the first, Jason and Kat grinned at him expectantly. In the second, was Kim, who looked like she was about to laugh. Third was Rocky and Tanya. Fourth was Adam, and fifth was Billy himself. Justin's face showed in another window. Andros' rangers were divided into three groups: Andros, Ashley, and Zhane; TJ and Cassie; and Carlos. The Lost Galaxy rangers were also divided into three windows: Mike, Leo and Kendrix in one, Maya and Damon in another, and Kai in the third. Lightspeed Rescue had the most, with Captain Mitchell in one, Dana and Carter in another, Joel and Angela in a third, Chad in the fourth, Kelsey in the fifth, and Ryan and Karone in the sixth. From Time force, only Wes' face appeared, but that was because Eric appeared with Taylor in one of the Wild Force windows, the others being Cole and Alyssa; Merrick, and Zen Aku; Max; and Danny. The last two windows showed Hunter and Blake in one and Cam, Sensei Kanoi, Shane, Tori, and Dustin in another. The only ones missing were Katie, Trip, Lucas, and Jen, who were in the year 3000, the Aquitian Rangers, who would be briefed by Billy, Aisha, whom it was unfortunately rare to reach, and Trini and Zack, who had passed away.

Tommy raised his hands pleadingly to stop the babble of voices.

"Hey, hey, calm down! I have 46 of you all at once! And the answer to all of your questions is yes, I know about the new ranger team. I'm the one who gave them their morphers. As you know, I've been guarding three DinoGems until the time was right. Just recently, Mesogog resurfaced, and the gems chose their rangers. You guys won't believe the team I have: Conner McKnight, a slightly air headed soccer star as Red Ranger, Ethan James, a computer whiz as Blue Ranger, and Kira Ford, an aspiring singer as Yellow. It's going to be an interesting year. And to all of you who hoped to see me change colors again, I'm so sorry. Really."

There was a round of laughter at Tommy' sarcasm.

"And those of you who bet on me, because I _know_ you did, pay up! Oh, and thank you again for the sensors, Andros."

The others laughed some more as Andros just waved his hand dismissively at Tommy's thanks, and Dustin asked, "McKnight? Hey, didn't Eric McKnight, who just transferred out to the Thunder Academy, say he had a twin brother named Conner?"

Hunter agreed, "Yeah, Eric does. The two of them seem pretty close. Anyway, Power protect you, Tommy. Blake and I've got another class coming in."

There was a chorus of 'Power protect you' from several other rangers who left as well, now that they were sure nothing bad had happened to the new ranger team, as well as a 'Tell Hayley I said 'hello'' from Cam and Billy. After a while, the only ones left were Jason, Kat, Kim, Leo, Kendrix, Mike, Captain Mitchell, Ryan, Karone, Wes, Eric, and Taylor.

Kim was the first to speak. "Alright, Tommy, spill. I want to know all about your new team. Powers, suits, zords, _everything_."

Tommy gave a long-suffering sigh which no one believed for an instant, before launching into a much more detailed description of his new team, and their enemies. As his tale drew to a close, he said to Captain Mitchell, "I've got to thank you again, sir, for your support. The neural integration software was invaluable."

"Don't worry about it, Tommy. I'm more than happy to aid the next generation of Power Rangers. I'd best be off. Power protect you, my friend."

The other rangers gave a chorus back as Captain Mitchell left. His son Ryan picked up where he left off, saying, "Karone and I'd better head back as well. Let us know if you have any evil rangers you need help with!"

Tommy chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind, Ryan. Power protect the both of you."

Leo, Mike, and Kendrix were the next to leave. Leo and Mike needed to return to their base. Tommy noticed something odd about Kendrix.

"Kendrix! You're-"

The ex-Pink Ranger smiled. "You noticed, did you?" She rubbed her large belly and said, "We're expecting twins in a month-and-a-half."

"Wow! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Tommy. Power protect you."

"You too!"

When it was down to just Jason, Kat, Kim, Wes, Eric, and Taylor, Eric complained, "I still can't believe you didn't become a ranger, Tommy. You made me lose thirty dollars to Wes!"

Tommy snickered. "Serves you right, Myers. Seriously, what am I? A rainbow?"

"Oh, go fall off a cliff, Oliver," Eric groused, but without any malice.

"Been there, done that, got the Dragonzord to prove it."

"He has, actually," Jason and Kim agreed.

"Oh pssh, my Q-Rex could turn your Dragonzord into scrap metal!"

"In your dreams, Myers," Tommy replied with a grin, as Taylor smacked her husband upside the head.

"No! You _boys_ are _not_ getting into a my-zord-is-better-than-yours fight right now. _Drop it_, Eric. And you, Tommy, stop encouraging him!

The others laughed at the faux-innocent expression on Tommy's face.

"Aw man, Tommy, I've got to go! Jake's taking me out to dinner, and I need to be ready in an hour!"

"Not a problem, Kim. Tell your husband I said hello."

"Will do. Power protect you!"

Shortly after Kim left, Wes, Eric, and Taylor also left. Kat left as well, to get ready for a rehearsal. Tommy sighed and looked at Jason. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Nope. It's one of the few days off I get. Now spill, bro. What's troubling you?"

"What are you talking about, Jase?" Tommy asked evasively.

"Don't you pull that with me, Tommy Oliver. I know you better than anyone except David, may he rest in peace. So tell me what's bugging you."

Tommy sighed again. He leaned back in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair. "It's just… the Tyrannodrones were _my_ work, Jase. I spent years researching how to combine dinosaur DNA and technology so that something _good_ could come out of it, not a mutant freak who wants to kill my students! And Jase, when I saw Conner, Kira, and Ethan get hurt, I swear, every fiber of my being was screaming that it should be _me_ out there fighting for their safety, not the other way around. I'm telling you, I nearly went _evil_ Green Ranger on the cyborg and jumped him from the back."

Jason whistled when Tommy was done. "Y'think I should start charging for these sessions?"

Tommy barked out a laugh. "I asked Ryan and Eric the same thing. You know he called me to see if he should propose to Karone given his demonic past the same day Eric called me panicking if he should propose to Taylor?"

Jason snorted and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I can see that happening. You 'once evil' ranger types are _so_ insecure."

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Watch it, Jase."

"Yeah, yeah, sorry. But seriously, bro, you've got to let the Tyrannodrone thing go. It's in your past. They _were_ yours, but now they're Mesogog's, and you have no reason to be held accountable for their actions. Let the past be the past and work on fixing the present and creating a better future… why does it feel like I just repeated myself?"

Tommy grinned ruefully. "Because you did. You used that last line on me when I switched over to your side as the Green Ranger. Guess I should listen, huh?"

"Ya think? And as for your kids, maybe you can't be out there protecting them from the big, bad world, but you wouldn't have been able to do that forever anyway. But you _can_ teach them, train them, and prepare them so that when they go out there, they can win. You hear what I'm saying?"

"I hear you, bro. Thanks, Jase, really. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Eh, you'd be some grumpy melancholic hermit who gets drunk at home every Friday night," Jason replied cheerfully.

Tommy rolled his eyes. "As opposed to getting drunk with you." _Actually, I'd probably have done something monumentally stupid, like commit suicide. It was only because of you that the whole team starting trusting me, no matter what you say to the contrary._

"Yep. And hey, we only do that once every month or two. 'Sides, you can drink _anyone_ under the table before you lose any of your reasoning capacity."

"I think it comes from being exposed to the Power so much. I mean, I heal faster than normal, and I haven't fallen sick in the past, what, three, four, years? I was up and about feeling fine the day after the island blew up. Oh jeez, I just remembered! Anton Mercer! I went down to the museum yesterday and it said they were under the management of Anton Mercer Industries!"

Jason stared back at Tommy, shocked. "Anton Mercer? The scientist you were working with? He's back? You're sure? I mean, I was standing beside you the day you called him in missing, and you were as close to crying as you'd ever been. If that guy's been fine all this time, I swear I will not be held responsible for my actions!"

"Whoa there, cool it, Jase. Anton's a great guy. I'm sure he has a good explanation for this. With Mesogog back, I'll need all the help I can get to counter however he's twisted our research."

"If you're sure," Jason replied unhappily. He tilted his head, listening to something his wife said off screen and the turned to Tommy. "Hey bro, Kat told me to remind you that you were supposed to call Hayley about… an hour-and-a-half ago."

Tommy's eyes widened and he shot up in his chair. "Oh shoot! She's going to kill me! I've got to let you go, Jase."

"No worries, bro. Power protect you."

"Power protect you, bro. Ah, Hayley, please don't be too mad…"

* * *

A/N: And, that was _equally_ long at 26 pages. The next chapter won't be up until I get a hold of a calendar and actually plan out when I want everything to happen. It's probably not necessary, but I'm OCD like that and need to make sure my timing's right for my transitions and descriptions. Until then, I bid you farewell. Please leave a review!


	3. Wave Goodbye

A/N: You are now breathing manually and have lost the game. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ahem. In other news, I was planning to get this out before midnight, but I may or may not have been distracted by coloring a poster of Tinkerbell. With crayons, but that's up for discussion, too. Many, many thanks to all my reviewers. Your comments were much appreciated. Thank you to everyone who read and added me to their alerts/favorites, too. I hope you keep reading.

As a heads up: [This is a phone ringing, or something beeping.]

With that said, enjoy!

**Wave Goodbye:**

The next few weeks passed in relative peace. There were only a few instances of Tyrannodrones attacking the city, but nothing that even needed the Zords. Tommy was surprised, but grateful. Hayley and he had even found a way to program a teleportation sequence into the new morphers, though its range was small and imprecise. Modifying active morphers was difficult and painful, he knew that all too well. Before he knew it, the first month of school had passed.

He found that teaching came somewhat naturally to him. It didn't hurt that he got to teach the kids about dinosaurs, though he was disappointed that the unit was almost over. He hadn't had to give out very many detentions, and he'd even given a few pop quizzes. Principal Randall… was her usual eccentric self. Life was good.

Conner, Ethan, and Kira were slowly coming together as a team. It had taken a while before they actively chose to be with each other, but now the three of them formed a lab group in his class, and were occasionally seen in each other's company during passing periods. However, they still didn't interact much outside of battles, or outside the weekly meetings in his basement.

Conner had settled into the role of Red Ranger and leader, but Tommy could see the discontent brewing in his eyes when he got called away from practice. Conner was going to hit his breaking point soon.

Ethan, on the other hand, couldn't have been more thrilled being a Power Ranger. He was like a kid at a candy store, and why shouldn't he be? Almost every child dreamed of being a super hero at some point.

Kira, as well, had no problems being a ranger. She was the balance between Conner and Ethan, though she sometimes got fed up with dealing with the boys, or getting called out in the middle of a rehearsal. She understood, though, that protecting the city came first. That's what a Power Ranger did.

_Here's to hoping that nothing out of the ordinary happens today. _

_[Dee-didididi-dee-didi-]_

"Oliver."

"Hey Tommy. I just saw your rangers in the Café today. You have quite the interesting bunch."

"Hey, Hayley. So Ethan finally dragged them over to the Café?"

"Yeah. I gave a Kira a gig Friday night, so you'd better be there. I sent Conner off to the Wave's open tryouts. And he thought I wouldn't be able to help him! So how's your work going?"

Tommy chuckled. Information was Hayley's business, whether she knew it by gossip or by simply _knowing_ the person. She had a scary knack for knowing who needed what and when they needed it.

"Things are pretty quiet. The energy signature I read earlier hasn't moved, so I might head over to Florida this weekend and check it out."

Some time after the first battle, Tommy had found an energy spike of another DinoGem, this time in Florida. It had probably been carried over from the Yucatan by ocean currents. He hadn't visited Kim in a while, either, so he'd be killing two birds with one stone.

"Florida… that'd be nice. Seriously, Tommy, where do you get the money for all this?"

Tommy laughed. "Hayley, you know this. Mom and Dad may have disowned me, but they and Uncle John did leave me everything they owned in their wills. I just sold everything to the highest bidder and chucked all the money in a bank. Oh, hang on. I think I found something!"

"Alright, I'll let you get back to it. I think I see a spill waiting to happen by the computer."

_Alright then. Let's see what and where you are… Hey! The Raptor Riders! I'd almost forgotten about those! This is brilliant!_

Tommy activated the signal for the DinoThunder Rangers. Kira would be stressing out about playing on Friday, and Conner would be at the Wave tryouts, so that left Ethan.

"Yeah, Doc, you got Ethan."

"Ethan, can you meet me out at the end of Riverside Road in an hour?" _That should give me plenty of time to set things on standby here and get gas for my jeep. And you have time to finish anything important you were doing._

"Yeah, sure what's up?"

_Ethan, you're in a public place. I can hear the people talking in the background. Ranger business is distinctly private._

"Just be there, and I'll fill you in."

Tommy ended the call and resumed typing. He'd need to buy food at some point, too, if he really did find the Raptor Riders.

_Raptor Riders… That brings back memories of grad school. All those nights in the lab with Anton. I wonder what's going on with him now. He still doesn't respond to my calls or e-mails._

Once he was satisfied that the scans he was running would be fine without him, Tommy grabbed a bag and left for his jeep. He met up with Ethan, who had ridden his bike over.

"So, Dr. O, what's the 4-1-1?"

Tommy blinked. _4-1-1…_ _Oh, right, he's asking what's going on. Sometimes, I don't get the slang anymore_.

"I need your help looking for some of my old experiments."

Ethan looked at him, curious. "Are we talking Tyrannodrone-experiments or BioZord-experiments?"

Tommy chuckled. "Something similar to the BioZords. After the island exploded, some of my experiments were scattered all throughout this area." _The rest are either at the bottom of the ocean or in Mesogog's hands, unfortunately._

"There!"

They knelt down beside three glowing orbs. Tommy smiled. They were looking at some of his finest work.

"What are they?" Ethan asked.

"Eggs," Tommy replied. _Probably my most successful combination of dinosaur DNA and technology. I remember Anton walked in on me dancing like a lunatic in the lab when I completed them. It took about ten minutes for me to calm down enough to form coherent sentences and tell him what I'd done._

"Oh, it's cool, Dr. O. I just had lunch a couple of hours ago," Ethan said.

_What does lunch have to do with anything… Oh. No! You are most certainly NOT going to eat them. I spent far too much time and effort on them! Honestly, do they look like food?_

"Heh, no. We're not going to eat them; we're going to hatch them. Then, you're going to ride them."

Tommy's smiled widened at the incredulousness on Ethan's face. _Careful there, kid, your eyes might just fall out of your head._

Ethan stood up. "Maybe it's all this quiet out here that's got me hearing things, but I thought you said we're going to ride these!"

_Yes, Ethan, you're going to ride an egg slightly larger than my fist. Just you wait, kid. When these things hatch, they'll be one of the coolest things in your arsenal. Of course, I created them, so I might be a little biased._

"I did. Trust me, Ethan, when these things are ready, they're going to be a big help to us."

"Alright, whatever you say," Ethan allowed, kneeling back down to help Tommy pack them away. The teen immediately picked up the blue one, and the egg glowed slightly.

_See? It likes you already. Oi, no manhandling a thousand dollars of work!_

"Careful," Tommy warned.

There was a soft _whoosh_ in front of them, and they both perked up. Tyrannodrones? Here? Oh come on!

"You saw that, right?" Ethan asked.

Tommy nodded, and shifted the bag onto his shoulder. "We have to protect the eggs no matter what." _If Mesogog got his hands on them, we would have no chance of winning this battle._

"Who would want to hurt them?"

"I would," a woman declared as she stepped out from behind a tree.

_Leather, tightly braided black hair, black lipstick – this must be Elsa._

"And I," the cyborg drawled, "I'm starting to have my doubts about your intelligence, Dr. Oliver."

_I resent that, you cybernetic monstrosity! I worked my butt off to get my PhD!_

Just then, he felt something yank on his backpack.

"Hey!" _Then again, I see your point._

He twisted around and got free with Ethan's help.

"Attack!" the cyborg roared.

_You know, it's very odd to describe his voice. I'm not even sure it is a he. Unlike Elsa, I don't know his name. For all I know, he could really be a she, just with a very distorted voice. Tommy, you idiot, why are you thinking about this NOW? Fight!_

Tommy beat back the Tyrannodrones to his right with one hand and a kick or two, while the other hand was playing tug-of-war with another Tyrannodrone over the bag.

"Hands off!"

Ethan came in from his fight at that time, jumping between the two of them, allowing Tommy to secure the bag.

_Haven't fought with a handicap like this in a while. At least I can say I'm not lying when I say I can beat them with one hand. Take that! I've got more than two decades of martial arts under my belt, you don't have a chance._

However, upon seeing the large number of Tyrannodrones, Tommy called out, "Ethan! Call the others!"

_I really hope the Wave tryouts are over, or Conner will be pretty unhappy. Although, right now, I'm inclined to tell him to get over it. Die already, you stupid Tyrannodrone!_

A few minutes later, Conner and Kira showed up to fight.

"You guys couldn't have done this another day?" Conner complained. So he had been called away from practice after all.

_Okay, Tyrannodrones are occupied with the Rangers, which means Elsa and the cyborg are… oh dear, this is going to be tough._

Tommy dropped into a fighting stance, with one arm curled around his back.

"You're not getting these eggs, you know. Why don't you just go back to Mesogog now?"

_Shut up and fight, Oliver!_

He ducked and leaped and kicked, but fighting two skilled and sentient opponents was something he hadn't done in a long time. Add to that the fact that Elsa had a sharp sword and the cyborg had a battleaxe, both of which were aiming to sever his head from his neck, suffice to say the battle was one he wanted to end soon.

He leaped and spun away from the cyborg's attack, using his momentum to deliver a sharp kick to Elsa's wrist. The villainess gave a short, sharp, yell as she landed a few feet away from him, using her free hand to support her wrist.

"Elsa!"

The cyborg pushed Tommy away and moved to her side.

_So someone has a crush, does he? This is equal parts hilarious and creepy. Kind of like Goldar and Scorpina, actually. At least now they're not trying to steal the eggs from me. Except that two against one from the same direction would really stink..._

The Rangers regrouped around him, with Conner between him and Mesogog's helpers.

"You really like these odds?" Ethan taunted, "'Cause you look pretty busted to me!"

_Ethan, no taunting the people with far more battle experience and pointy weapons. It will come back to bite you. Oh, who am I kidding. I've done it enough times myself._

"We're not through with you, _Power Rangers_," Elsa snarled, spitting out the phrase with distaste.

_Aw, Elsa, one would get the impression you don't like us._

"Nor you, Dr. Oliver," the cyborg added.

_Okay, seriously, what do you have against me? I've never seen you before in my life and at every battle, you try to kill me. If you're going to hate me for something, at least let me know what it is! I'm not a mind reader, you know._

They disappeared in a flash of green light, and Kira muttered, "They're a pleasant couple."

_You didn't have to stay in the room right beside the one where Goldar and Scorpina went at it in the middle of the night. Thin walls, empty palace… That alone was enough to send me off the deep end._

"Yeah, we'd better get these back to my place."

"What are they?"

"We're going to _ride_ them," Ethan replied sarcastically.

Tommy rolled his eyes at Ethan's tone. _Just you wait, Blue boy. You will eat your words. Keep mocking my work, and you will end up on my black list._

"Huh?"

"Look," Conner interrupted, "I have to go back to tryouts. Can you guys handle this?"

Tommy clasped Conner's shoulder and replied, "Go ahead, Conner. They can fill you in later."

_I really am sorry to pull you out of practice. I know how much soccer means to you, kid. I hope everything goes alright._

"Good luck!" Ethan called to his leader's retreating back.

"Come on, let's head back."

"So, are these like the BioZords, Dr. O?" Kira asked.

Tommy replied, "The Raptor Riders actually have the inverse dinosaur DNA-to-technology ratio as the BioZords."

Turning back to the teens, he continued, "They probably won't hatch for a while, so you can head back to whatever you were doing. I'm going back to the lab. I'll let you know if anything unusual happens, alright?"

The teens nodded and left and Tommy went back to his jeep. As he drove back, his thoughts drifted to the past, especially his past with Anton Mercer. He had been thrilled to get the chance to work with such a brilliant scientist while he was still an undergrad. Anton had been kind, if a little eccentric. The two of them had gotten along the best out of all the other workers, and Tommy had soon become Anton's right-hand man.

Anton had been there when Tommy found the DinoGems, and that was when he found out Tommy was a Ranger. Anton understood how precious the information was, and promised to keep it a secret. Soon after, they moved out to the island and began working on the BioZords under Operation Lightspeed. Or rather, Lightspeed's new project: Space Patrol Delta.

Tommy pulled out of his musings as he parked his jeep in his driveway. He checked his sensors before venturing underground to his lab. He placed the eggs on a table and began booting up various sensors. As he worked, he found his thoughts drifting to Anton Mercer again.

_Anton… Where are you? What's been going on in your life? We used to be so close. You were a mix of an older brother and father to me. You helped me through a lot in my life, but then you disappeared. Now your company's back and I, for the life of me, can't get a hold of you, though I've been trying to contact you at least twice a week._

It was with shadowed eyes that Tommy placed the eggs under his sensors, checking that the energy readings hadn't shifted since he'd last worked with them. It hit him once more that the Tyrannodrones that had been plaguing the city were his creation, and that he still didn't know the whereabouts of the rest of his experiments. If Mesogog got his hands on them…

_[BEEP-BEEP BEEP-BEEP BEEP-BEEP]_

Tommy was pulled out of his musing as the alert went up that the eggs were hatching. Right before his eyes, cracks appeared in the shells of the eggs, running along the dark grey webbing already on the eggs.

The Red Raptor Rider was the first to break out, sticking its head out, and kicking the rest of the shell away. It went over and head-butted the blue egg, rolling it around until the Blue Raptor Rider poked its head out as well. Then, the Red went over to the yellow egg and did the same.

Soon, all three Raptor Riders were shaking off eggshell crumbs and looking around the table curiously. Tommy picked them up, wincing as their claws dugs into his palms and placed them on the floor.

_They're so cute when they're tiny._

"Activate resizing matrix," Tommy commanded.

The Raptors began to expand, growing until their heads came up to the middle of Tommy's chest. Tommy grinned. They were magnificent. He finally felt like he'd earned that PhD of his, instead of the University giving it to him because they couldn't figure what else to do with him after the explosion.

And then Tommy found himself flying backwards, a throbbing pain in his chest.

_What the Heck?!_

Suddenly, Tommy was faced not with three of his past experiments, but three dangerous, angry dinosaurs.

_This… is unexpected. Come on, Tommy, think. How to get them away from all the expensive equipment?_

Tommy picked himself up and moved slowly, trying not to startle the Raptors. The Yellow Raptor's attention wasn't on him, anyway, it was on – oh no.

Tommy leaped forward as the Yellow Raptor attacked one of his energy scanners, causing sparks to fly.

"Shields activate!" Tommy ordered, grateful once more that Andros had provided him with so much technology. Now, all the electronics in his lab were protected by forcefields. However, there were still plenty of tables, chairs, crates, and odd knick-knacks lying around to damage.

_Oh H***, this is not going to be fun…_

And how right he was.

* * *

The Red Raptor roared again as Tommy ducked under its tail, but this time there another rumbling under it – on of the cave entrances was opening.

_Oh, come on, guys, this is horrible timing. I'm sure Mesogog would love for you to be killed by rampaging Raptors_.

"Don't come in, it's not safe!" he shouted out as ran to the other side of the lab, leaping over debris. "Whoa!"

He lurched sideways as several crates flew by, one clipping him on the shoulder. Well, at least those were just photos. He hoped. Before he could get his bearings, the Blue Raptor charged him, forcing him flail and move backwards. It didn't quite work.

"We kinda got that," Kira commented warily.

The Yellow Raptor's tail hit his torso, catapulting him over the Blue Raptor's tail and onto the floor in front of his students.

_Oh, that's going to be a spectacular bruise._

Tommy pushed himself up, trying to wipe off whatever gunk was now on his hands.

"Is that what was in those eggs?" Ethan asked incredulously.

Tommy flinched as he heard the clang of metal against metal and hoped that nothing too valuable was broken.

"Yeah, I've been trying to train them," Tommy replied. _Well, no, not really, but I would if I could get them to stop wrecking my lab and attacking me._

"How's it coming?" Ethan wondered slowly.

"Uh, slowly – Whoa!" Tommy ducked under the Red Raptor's tail as it lashed out and hit the doorframe. Maybe they should take this outside.

"Very slowly," Tommy corrected as he stood up, looking warily around his lab.

_Once again, thank the Powers That Be for all of Andros' tech. Without those shields, I would probably end up bankrupt._

"Look," Conner said, pulling Tommy's attention back to him, "I can see that you're… busy… with… well, whatever, but, I need to talk."

Tommy's attention shift as the hair of the back of his neck stood up and one of the Raptors screeched. An instant later, the Red Raptor's tail slammed into his middle, sending him flying forward.

_Kira, watch out!_

Tommy landed face-first in the dust several feet outside his basement. He was going to feel this so badly in the morning. As he pushed himself up, he heard Ethan's shout of surprise as the door slid down again, no doubt due to the Raptors.

"I guess I can take break," he said, accepting Ethan's hand.

Tommy brushed himself off a little and bit back a smile at the Blue Ranger's disgust at whatever he had picked up, saying, "Alright, what's up?"

_Conner, I don't like that look in your eyes…_

It took Conner a moment to gather his thoughts before he replied, "You gotta find someone to replace me."

_Can't say I didn't see that one coming._

Ethan and Kira, on the other hand, could.

"What are you talking about?" Kira demanded.

"You're talking crazy!" Ethan added.

Tommy sighed at the flash of hurt in Conner's eyes before he closed his eyes, as if asking for patience, his jaw set with determination.

"Alright, settle down, you two," Tommy interrupted, "What's the problem?"

Conner replied, "Look… I'm a soccer player. That's all I've ever wanted to do… Y'know, every _moment_ of my life has led up to playing for a pro team… and I get the _greatest chance_ of my life, and I blow it."

_Because you're a Ranger, right? I've been there, Conner. I know how much it hurts. And because I've been there, I won't stop you from leaving if you really want to. I can't do that to you._

"I understand," Tommy said sadly, noting with some satisfaction that at least Kira also understood, "And you're right."

"You're _agreeing_ with him?" Ethan exclaimed.

Tommy ignored him, focusing on the Red Ranger. "Conner, I know how you feel, because I've felt that way before. But, I want you to think about this before you do anything."

_I may not stop you from leaving, Conner, but the world needs a Red Ranger._

Conner lowered his gaze, but Tommy could tell Conner didn't fully believe him. Why should he? Tommy's hadn't told them about his Ranger past, not wanting the teens to use him as a crutch. The other generations of Rangers had agreed with him.

"Look," Kira said, trying to make Conner see the error of his ways, "I've got things I want to do, too, but I'm here. I'm dealing."

"Good for you," Conner replied, slightly bitterly, "I guess I'm just different."

_This wasn't an easy decision for you, was it, Conner? You know how much you're needed as a Ranger._

Conner looked at the three of them, avoiding eye contact with Tommy, before walking past him and leaving.

"Whoa," Ethan muttered sourly, "And I thought the Red guy was supposed to be the leader."

_Not always, Ethan. And Conner has the right to pursue his own dreams, no matter what. It's a basic human right, something that we as Rangers always fight to protect._

Ethan turned to him and demanded, "How can you just let him go, Dr. O?"

"It's Conner's choice, Ethan. I can't force him to do anything. Senior year is a big year, and he has the right to secure his future."

"But if he quits now, there may not _be_ a future for him! I mean, he's the _Red Ranger!_"

Tommy turned and looked his student in the eye. "He is also Conner McKnight, a young man who is just as passionate about his soccer career as you are about gaming. Put yourself in his shoes: something he's spent his entire _life_ working for is at stake. It's very hard to just let something like that go."

Ethan's shoulders slumped. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

_No guessing about it, Ethan. Jason, Trini, and Zack left to pursue their dreams the Peace Conference, and now Jason works for the UN. Kimberly left for the Pan-Globals, went on to become an Olympic medalist, and is now the coach for the US Gymnastics Team. Aisha decided to stay in Africa and be a vet in the middle of her Zeo Quest. On the other hand, Tanya put her singing dreams on hold, Carlos gave up soccer to leave the PLANET, and I gave up my hopes of becoming a famous martial artist or a racer, because I couldn't devote enough time to it._

"Do you need any help, Dr. O?" Kira asked.

Tommy glanced back uneasily at the door to his lab. The crashes and screeches had finally stopped.

"No, I can handle it. You guys head back to whatever is you were doing."

"I hear that," Ethan muttered, "I have so much homework left."

"Come on, Ethan. I want to talk to Conner," Kira said, pulling him away.

Tommy reentered his lab to see all three Raptors huddled around something small (and probably shiny) on the floor. As he got closer, the red one snarled at him to keep away, but he saw that they were examining his Dragon Dagger and Green Ranger Power Coin.

_How did they find that?_

"Hey, get away from those!"_ They're some of the most important things I own!_

He dove down as the red and yellow Raptor Riders reared up to attack him and grabbed the coin and dagger. He felt a familiar flare of energy as the Power within him recognized the two devices. As he rolled away, he noted that the Raptors had stopped moving.

_Well, this is new. Ever since they hatched, the only things they've done is run around and wreck things._

Slowly, he rose, one arm stretched out towards them. The red Raptor Rider approached him, as if curious, and gently head-butted his hand.

_Dragonkin._

Tommy felt a _connection_ form between him and the Raptor, similar to the connection he'd shared with some of his earlier Zords. Reaching out mentally, he asked, _Will you listen?_

He got a sense of confusion in response. Ah. Of course. He simplified his question to its basic emotions and sent it back. This time, he received a sense of repentance and acceptance in return. He then gathered every emotion and picture-thought associated with Conner and sent it out.

_Did it work?_

A few moments later, he got a rush of enthusiasm, eagerness, and happiness back. Tommy grinned. The Raptor had accepted its Rider.

_For something I'm making up on the spot, I'm doing pretty well. I guess that's thanks to the Power. I never expected to be able to form a semi-telepathic connection with my experiments, never in my wildest dreams!_

The red Raptor Rider turned back and growled to its companions. The yellow one approached Tommy next. He repeated the same process, replacing Conner with Kira. With a growing sense of glee and accomplishment, he repeated the process once more with the blue Raptor, using Ethan this time.

A few minutes later, Tommy could have cried with relief as the Raptor Riders decided to quite sedately curl up and wait by the West Exit of his lab. He began righting some of the tables and starting the laborious process of cleaning his lab, deciding that he really needed to stop being such a packrat.

"Argh! I hate cleaning! Forget this. I'll do it later," he groused. As he sat down at his computer, he remembered how upset Conner had been.

_Poor kid. I wonder if there's any way I can make it up to him… Of course, Coach Riley!_

Tommy pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number.

"Marty Riley."

"Hey Marty! It's Tommy Oliver here. I'm not interrupting practice, am I?"

"No, no, we got done about an hour ago. What can I do for you, Oliver?"

_An hour? My, how the time does fly._

"Oh, phew. Didn't want to interrupt practice again."

"Again? What are you talking about?"

Tommy grinned. Feigning surprise, he replied, "Conner didn't tell you? I had to pull the poor kid away in the middle of practice. We'd arranged a meeting for class today a while back, before he knew about tryouts. He was pretty unhappy to be here."

"So you're the reason one of my prospective players has a DNF. Jeez, Oliver, you couldn't have done this another day?"

_Well, I wasn't planning on calling Conner at all, until Elsa and her cybernetic boyfriend showed up with a horde of Tyrannodrones._

"I wish. You know how life gets, with this that and the other going on all at the same time."

"Yeah, yeah, I now how it is. You think the kid'll still be at the fields? I might want to talk to him."

"Conner? Yeah, he practically lives on the soccer fields. It's getting late, though."

"Well then I'd better head back. Later, Oliver."

"Goodbye, Marty."

Ending the call, Tommy smiled. Hopefully, this would help Conner out. He returned to scrolling through the various windows on his computer screen. He still had to finish editing that video of Power Ranger history, as well. He'd been working for a good fifteen minutes, when an alarm on his computer started blaring.

_Great. Back to action it is._

He brought up a surveillance window showing downtown Reefside. A strange-looking monster - well, they were all strange - was running through the streets destroying everything in sight. He caught sight of a young girl run to hide under a table amongst the hordes of people running away.

_This is going to be messy. Is it just me, or is that a bird wearing a cape of leaves?_

Opening up the communication link with his rangers, he alerted them, "Guys, we have a situation. There's a monster attacking the city. People are in danger."

_Well, people are always in danger. Sorry I had to guilt trip you, Conner, but we need you on this one._

"Okay," he heard Conner's resigned voice, "but this is the last time."

_I can live with that. Though, thirty bucks says you'll realize what you're fighting for in this battle._

He turned to the Raptor Riders, which were now standing alert. Bringing up another window, he resumed typing, and said to them, "I'm inputting the Rangers' coordinates."

The eyes of the Riders flashed once the data was received. The West Exit opened behind them.

"Go," Tommy urged, "They'll need you."

Back on the computer, he heard Kira say, "He's getting away!"

Conner stopped her. "We'll never catch him."

Opening up the communication channel again, he said, "You can. Meet the Raptor Riders."

Tommy toggled the joystick and made the camera zoom back to make sure the Raptors had reached their targets.

The teen exclaimed over their Raptors, and Tommy felt glad he had managed to get them to cooperate. He wondered about the floating thought of 'Dragonkin' he had received from the three of them. It was odd that the rest of their telepathic communications were emotions and the occasional picture, but 'Dragonkin' was a distinct word. And where had he heard that before…?

As they attacked, Tommy marveled that the Raptors jumped on cars, but the Power never let them dent anything, or break any windows when Kira ran the length of a building – hm, that looked like the Cummins Corporate IT building…

A soft smile worked its way across Tommy' face as he saw Conner fight to protect the little girl. He had a feeling he and Conner would have a heart to heart about dreams and priorities soon. Satisfied that they had everything under control, he switched screens to check the vitals of the Raptor Riders.

A few moments later, he got a message from Conner, saying, "Dr. O, we may have a problem on our hands."

"Let me guess," he said as he switched screens again, "A thirty-story version of that guy you were just fighting?" _I hate it when I'm right._

"You've done this before, haven't you?" Ethan wondered.

"Once or twice." _Or maybe five. Or a lot more, if you count my off-duty battles. I still need to figure out if, when, and how I'm going to tell you this…_

"I'm sending the DinoZords." _Who doesn't love a MegaZord battle?_

Tommy watched them fight, a sense of pride and wistfulness building in his chest. _These are my rangers… My students… It still feels like it should be me out there fighting to protect them. Though it's by no means easy sitting here, monitoring the battle with alternating bouts of pride and concern. Still, what I wouldn't give for my Zeo crystal to be recharged so I could fight again…_

Another thought struck him, and he laughed at himself.

_Though I could probably do without Jason trying to kill me for pulling such a stupid stunt._

"Good job guys," he told them after they'd won, "You can ride the Raptors back to the soccer field."

Tommy chuckled at the whoops and catcalls of his students as the Raptors sped off. He'd be willing to bet they'd never ridden anything quite so fast before. Interestingly, when they returned to the soccer field, Conner asked if he could ride back to Tommy's house. A few minutes later, the West Exit slid open and the Raptors rode in. Conner hopped off his Raptor and demorphed.

"Those are pretty sweet," he said as they all surrounded Tommy, flicking their tails at him and trying to head-butt him.

"Yes, yes, you guys did great, too! Oi, I don't have any food in there! Go hunt something in the forest!" Tommy laughed at the semi-mechanical dinosaurs.

After they had left, Tommy turned to his slightly uncomfortable red-clad student. He motioned for him to sit in the chair next to him, and asked, "So what can I help you with, Conner?"

Conner fidgeted. "Well… I just… I don't know what to do, Dr. O. I mean, soccer is my _life_, y'know? Well you probably don't, but on the other hand, being a Power Ranger is _important_. That little girl showed me exactly what I'm fighting for, but…"

"It's hard to let go of something you've been working towards for as long as you can remember," Tommy finished for him.

Conner nodded sadly.

Tommy sighed. "I'm not going to force you to make a decision one way or another, Conner. I'm not going to ask you to be like the Red Rangers before you. You deserve to be your own person." _I always hated being compared to others, though that may have stemmed from my parents constantly comparing me to their dead son._

Conner looked at him, surprised he had caught on to that. "You noticed? Sorry, it's just… they're some pretty big shoes to fill, and I don't know if I'm cut out for that."

Tommy placed his hand over Conner's bracelet. "Conner, you see this gem? This gem came to Earth millennia ago. It's watched mankind evolve, watched civilizations rise and fall, waiting for the right person to come along to bear its gifts. That person is you. The DinoGems contain a power as old as the Universe itself, the Power that fuels all the Power Rangers. Never doubt that it was meant for you. I've known you for what, over a month now, and I know it chose the right person."

Conner stared back at Tommy with wide eyes and then looked back at his gem. "I get it… it's just hard to let go of my dreams, y'know?"

"So don't," Tommy replied. "Dreams are vitally important, Conner. They're what makes us human, what defines us as a person. Maybe the Wave will work out for you, maybe it won't. If there's one thing I wholeheartedly believe, it's that everything happens for a reason. If one door closes, it just means there's a window open that you haven't checked yet."

_Or, to put it in Rocky's words, 'If one door closes, it's because you're missing the gaping hole in the wall next to it.'_

Seeing Conner's mildly confused expression, he clarified, "If the Wave doesn't work out, another opportunity will come along that's even better."

Conner nodded. After a few moments of digesting Tommy's words, he got up and said, "Thanks, Dr. O. I needed this talk."

_I wouldn't have given it to you if you didn't, kid._

Conner disappeared in a streak of red and paused for a moment by the stairs. He grinned mischievously and said, "I'll see you at school tomorrow, dude."

"Conner! Stop calling me 'dude'!" Tommy yelled at the disappearing red blur.

_Che, kids these days. No respect for their elders._

"And now I have to clean…"

* * *

It took Tommy two evenings to clean out his lab. The rest of the week passed uneventfully. Hayley had rescued three motorbikes from the junkyard and decided she wanted to soup them up for the Rangers. The new boy who had transferred into his class, Trent Fernandez, was finally caught up on his work, and his job busing tables for Hayley on the weekends was going well. He still thanked Tommy occasionally for telling him about the job, no matter how many times Tommy dismissed it. Apparently, he was using the extra money to get art supplies that his father wasn't too fond of buying for him.

The only thing out of the ordinary that happened to Tommy, by his standards, was the recurring dream he'd had. It always started out with him in a dark area, morphing into the Green Ranger. It seemed as if the morphing sequence was drawn out; his attention focused on the Power pounding through his veins. He dropped to the ground, ready for battle, when a blast came from behind him, knocking him into an abyss and out of morph. He flailed about, before his hands came together and he morphed into the White Ranger. Again, the morphing sequence seemed longer, his senses acutely attuned to Power again. Each set of powers he had been through was different; his Green Ranger Powers were wild and forceful while his White Ranger powers were still and calm, safe.

He dropped onto the ground again and started walking to a gate hidden in mist and fog. As he got closer, he realized it was the gate to Ninjor's abode. He reached out, wrapping his hand around one of the bars to push open the gate and his morph fell away. He pushed open the gate and entered. The chamber was deserted. He spun around at the sharp cry of a falcon, and then froze as his Ninjetti powers surged through him. These powers were sharp and free, much like his spirit animal.

Suddenly, the ground beneath him shook and he was falling again. His morph shattered and fell away. His heart rate picked up and he started flailing, fearing hitting the ground. He felt a weight on his wrists and brought them together, morphing into the Red Zeo Ranger. The Power from the Zeo crystal filled him up, but this set of powers was different from his other powers. It was impersonal, simply existing as power, nothing else. It was also the only set of powers that came close to the sheer strength of his Green Ranger Powers.

This time he dropped to his knees atop a canyon. The wind howled around him and he looked around cautiously. A black blur raced past him – Tengu? Piranhatron? – and knocked him off his feet and out of morph. He landed flat on his back and rolled to the side, pulling himself back into a crouch. There was no one around him in any direction for as far as he could see.

He stood up and glanced at his wrist, noticing the Turbo morpher and Turbo Key in his hand. Suddenly, the hair on the back of neck stood up. Evil was approaching. He morphed into the Red Turbo Ranger immediately. The Turbo powers were light and fast, filling him with a need to _move_ and move _fast_, but they also weren't his. They hadn't connected with him the way his previous powers had.

Several voices, perhaps his, Zordon's and Dimitria's echoed "Once a Ranger, always a Ranger," and he woke up, filled with a sense of loss and something else he couldn't explain… something like expectancy. It was very odd.

Before he knew it, though, Friday evening had arrived and he was due for Kira's gig in a few minutes. Hayley had called him earlier that day to remind him, and to let him know that Conner hadn't made it for the Wave. How Hayley knew that already was anyone's guess.

He turned to leave for the Café, when an alert popped up on his computer screen.

"What? Oh _no!_ No, this is bad!"

Tommy rapidly typed commands and stared at the map with dread. The DinoGem he had been tracking had been moved! There was a chance it moved via some natural source, like wind currents, or a building project, or something, but the scanner, and seven other programs he had just run, would have picked that up. No, this alert would only have come up if the stone completely disappeared off the map and to a shielded location.

_Like via an Invisiportal to Mesogog's lair. I'll have to let Conner, Ethan, and Kira know about this after her gig. Which I'm going to be late for!_

Grabbing the morpher he and Hayley had created for the new DinoGem, he bolted out of his house. As he approached the Cyberspace Café, he smiled as he listened to the chords of Kira's music streaming outside the Café. She really had quite a bit of talent. He nearly made it level with the door when four Tyrannodrones appeared in front of him.

_Oh you have GOT_ _to be kidding me!_

Behind him, the cyborg appeared, The Tyrannodrones started to surround him. Two of them grabbed his arms while the other two approached him from the front. He wrestled one arm free and kicked the other two away, but suddenly, he felt a sharp sting above his elbow, and the Tyrannodrone seemed to weigh about three times what it did a second ago. It wasn't until all four of them got a hold of him and he could barely move his muscles that he realized with horror what had happened.

_They drugged me! I can barely move! Think, Oliver, there has to be a way out of this!_

He felt himself being sucked up into an Invisiportal before everything went black.

* * *

A/N: And there you have it. What going to happen with Tommy, I wonder? So what did you think? The fake science made me twitch a little (I'm a die-hard scientist), but the dream was really fun to write. What did you like best/least? Anyway, I still don't have that calendar drawn up yet, or the next chapter completed, so don't expect anything for a while, sorry. Please leave a review!


	4. Legacy of Power

A/N: So, this chapter was a long time in the making. And to be honest, it's not quite finished. I'm cheating a little bit - since Legacy of Power and Back in Black aired together, I'll be posting the scenes of Tommy (not part of the Ranger history video) from Legacy of Power along with the scenes in Back in Black. Hopefully, that section won't explode on me like this one did. The transition between Wave Goodbye and Legacy of Power never made sense to me, because when Zeltrax drags Tommy in front of Mesogog, it's as if it happens right after Tommy's sucked up by the Invisiportal, but when Kira, Conner, and Ethan are down in the lab, Kira comments that he missed her gig, which was on Friday, as well as a full day of school, presumably Monday. That leaves about three days where we have no idea what happened to Tommy. This chapter aims to figure out what happened... Bother, I sound like I'm writing an essay for AP English, again.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, read, alerted, and/or favorited me! I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

WARNING: There is violence, questionable material, and censored cursing in this chapter.

* * *

**Legacy of Power:**

Tommy woke to see a dark silver boot heading towards his face.

_Move!_

With a grunt, Tommy rolled away and pulled himself up into a crouch. His eyes darted around, taking stock of his (rather unfortunate) situation. He was in a dark, grey-green cell. There were no furnishings, as far as he could tell. The only source of light was the corridor behind the cyborg, which was swinging his battleaxe at him.

Tommy spun away, leaning against the wall when the room continued moving after he stopped. A migraine pounded at his temples.

"So you're awake."

"Where am I?" Tommy demanded, "What do you want with me?"

_Those are both really stupid questions, now that I think about it. Why didn't I ask something I didn't know, like his name? And this migraine is seriously messing with my motor skills._

The cyborg chuckled. "You are a prisoner in Lord Mesogog's lair, which is no more than you deserve. My master has graciously allowed me to break your spirit before you are to meet with him."

"Oh really?" Tommy snarked, "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not easy to break."_ Ask Rita, Zedd, and Gasket._

"We shall see about that."

The cyborg charged towards him. Tommy dove to the side, his head ringing with the clang of the battleaxe against the cell wall.

_This not good! In my state, all I can do is dodge his attacks. Wait! The exit! Surely he wouldn't be so stupid…?_

Tommy spun away from the cyborg's axe again. With each swipe, he was getting closer and closer to the exit, an opening that took up most of the fourth wall. Warning bells were ringing in his mind as some part that was still functioning despite the pain and dizziness realized that the cyborg was _herding_ him to the exit, but he threw himself at the opening before the thought solidified.

And screamed.

His back arched in mid-air as several volts of electricity raced through his body. The pain was absolutely blinding; he didn't register anything except the unending agony. His nerves were on fire and his muscles seized up out of his control. He fell to the floor, convulsing.

The cyborg stood over him, chuckling darkly. "What's this? The great Dr. Tommy Oliver can't take a little pain?"

_F***… you…_

He could barely think, his body jerking as another wave of pain washed over him. He wanted nothing more than to sink back into oblivion, but his years as a Power Ranger wouldn't let him, not with an enemy standing over him. The cyborg pressed the blade of his axe against Tommy's shoulder, eliciting a strangled scream from the fallen man. It hurt! It hurt so much!

_Whatever deity I've managed to anger now, I'm SORRY!_

"Do you see this, Dr. Oliver?"

Tommy vaguely made out a glint of red dripping off the cyborg's axe. Blood. _His_ blood. Tommy's heart rate picked up.

"This is what you have cost me!"

"I… have no… id… idea what… you… mean," Tommy managed with difficulty. He could feel the little Power inside him start to heal the wound. He was going to go into shock soon.

The cyborg roared and Tommy braced himself for the axe to fall on him again. Except it didn't. The cyborg's metal foot connected solidly with his chest, sending him flying back into the electric field.

Tommy's world exploded in pain.

His nerves screamed out in excruciating pain as his body rebelled against the surge of electricity. Agony was his entire universe; there was nothing else and there never had been. Tommy dropped back to the floor, and this time, oblivion welcomed him.

The next time Tommy woke, he found himself shirtless (and shoeless) in a pair of grey shorts that most definitely weren't his and hanging from the ceiling by his wrists. He was sore all over and occasionally, a muscle here or there twitched lightly, an aftereffect of the electrocution he'd suffered. His skin felt tender, and he recognized it as recovering from a burn… well, that much electricity coursing through him had to have done some damage.

_Well, doesn't this bring back memories? All I need is a change of clothes and a swirling vortex of doom to open up under me, and we're good to go. I wonder when I got moved out of that cell?_

The room he was currently in could only be described as a torture chamber. It was large and spacious, but with very little lighting. The walls were covered with weapons and tools of various natures, as well as a few skulls. Some of the weapons still had blood on them. There were cots pushed up against one wall, with leather restraints hanging off the sides. Something eerily similar to an electric chair sat against another.

_Someone obviously likes to play with his prisoners. Jeez, how do I get myself into these situations? At least the drug wore off. I must have been completely out of it for a long time for it to have completely run through my system._

Tommy turned his head to the side. The wound on his shoulder was almost completely gone, now no more than a paper cut. He could also see a greenish mark above his elbow. That must have been where they injected him with whatever it was.

Tommy's stomach rumbled and he became aware of exactly _how_ hungry he was. And how thirsty. Suddenly, it was as if his throat had closed up. The pain in his stomach seemed to intensify.

_No! Focus on something else! Mind over body. Think about the BioZords. Think about their wiring. Remember all those nights you spent with Hayley checking over the diagrams. She'd bring down a cup of – NO! Think about something else, FAST. Divatox. Piranhatrons. Water. NO! Think about your weekend plans. You were going to surprise Kim with a visit and look for the DinoGem. I wonder what color it'll be. Florida. Water. NO! Kim. Kim makes really good spaghetti and meatballs. The sauce is just the right consistency with a medley of herbs and – NO!_

Tommy forced his eyes shut against the backdrop of his hunger pangs and intense desire for water. He concentrated on his breathing, filling his mind with nothing but that. He imagined himself standing on a green field, grass spread out as far as the eye could see. There was nothing there except him, the grass, and the blue sky. He was safe here.

_David, I can never thank you enough for teaching me to meditate._

A few months after he had met his brother, David had taught him to meditate, a precursor to the spirit walking he and Sam did. Tommy had never quite gotten the hang of spirit walking, but meditation was something he kept up with always. He found the ability to separate his mind from his body invaluable during his Ranger career and his more stressful days at the lab.

_Alright, Tommy. Think carefully, calmly, and logically. I was on my way to Hayley's Café at around six-thirty in the evening. I don't know the potency of the drug they injected me with, but since I fell unconscious almost immediately, I'd estimate it would take at least eight hours to run through my system. I don't know my recovery time from electrocution, so factoring that in would be useless. However, the cut on my shoulder is healed now, and I know the cyborg hit bone. Come on, Tommy think. How long did it take me back in the day to heal from deep cuts? About one or two hours. And given that my Zeo crystal is less than ten percent charged right now, that means about fifteen hours have passed since then._

Tommy's eyes snapped open as he heard someone enter the room. Elsa came towards him, her eyes roving hungrily over his half-naked form. Tommy's stomach churned at the lust in her eyes.

_That's really, really creepy. Like, take multiple showers creepy._

"Hello, Dr. Oliver," she purred, "Or would you rather I called you _Tommy_?"

Tommy sneered at her, "My _friends_ call me Tommy. Unfortunately for you – and fortunately for me – you're not on that list."

Elsa gave a fake laugh, resting her hand on his chest. "Mmm… It would be _such_ a pity to have to mar _this_. You are _quite_ the specimen, Dr. Oliver."

As Elsa's fingers trailed over his exposed skin, Tommy retorted, "Is this your twisted way of flirting? Because I can tell you right now, I'm not interested."

Elsa sauntered over behind him, her fingernails trailing across his back. She whispered in his ear, "Are you sure about that?"

Twitching as her breath ghosted over his ear, he replied, "Quite sure."

Elsa drew back abruptly and it was with the sudden loss of heat that Tommy realized just how close she had been. _What_, he thought irritably,_ Mesogog sends one minion to beat the crap out of me and another to rape me? What's his game here?_

"Pity," Elsa drawled, "I was hoping we could have some fun. But perhaps you'd prefer to spend some quality time with the Tyrannodrones."

She snapped her fingers and from the green light reflected by the rest of the room, Tommy knew that an Invisiportal had opened. That, more than anything, got to him… an escape route so close by, yet so unreachable.

"Enjoy!" she sneered before leaving.

Tommy swallowed as he saw the Tyrannodrones form a circle around him. There were maybe six or seven of them. Under normal circumstances, he might have been able to take them, but with both arms tied above him, and his current weakened state, he could do nothing. This was going to _hurt_.

The first attack came from the back. Tommy grunted as what felt like a Tyrannodrone's claw lashed against his back. Mustering up his strength, Tommy kicked out at the Tyrannodrone closest to him.

_Real smart, Tommy. Go and instigate a fight when you're trussed up like a turkey._

The Tyrannodrone stumbled back and another one hammered him from the side. Tommy grunted in pain and writhed as his body tried to curl protectively around the wound.

_S***… This hurts. This hurts a lot. It's going to be a long day… or night… whichever._

The Tyrannodrones converged on him in a flurry of punches and kicks. Tommy's wrists chafed as he was pushed from one end of the circle to the other and his futile attempts to dodge the attacks. Somewhere in the haze of pain, he heard a sickening crack and nearly blacked out from the pain emanating from his leg. A scream tore from his throat.

_Please… Let it end… I can't take this much longer… Ugh… it's getting harder and harder to breathe…_

Tommy's prayers went unanswered. When Elsa returned two hours later, it was to see a beaten, broken, bloody, bruised, and nearly catatonic Tommy Oliver. She snapped, "Tyrannodrones, stand down!"

Her heels clacked against the floor as she approached him. He made a truly pitiful figure, his head bowed and almost all of his lightly tanned skin now black and blue. Blood dripped sluggishly down his arms from his raw and bleeding wrists. A shard of white glistened on his torso, where one of his ribs had broken through the skin. His back was marred with whiplashes, several of which had broken through the skin. The shorts he wore were nearly all red and there was a pool of blood below his feet.

"You don't have to suffer, you know," she said softly, he fingers tracing what little of his skin retained its normal color.

He raised his head, bringing his pain-filled gaze to meet hers. Elsa's touch moved over him so softly, he could almost believe she cared. Her fingers danced lightly over the contours of his face, almost lovingly.

"Don't put yourself through more of this," she pleaded, "Give Lord Mesogog what he wants and you'll never be hurt again. Just let go."

For a few moments, the only sound in the room was Tommy's labored breathing. Then, he dropped his gaze. He began, in a defeated voice, "I will…"

Elsa's face lit up with a victorious smirk, but Tommy's head snapped back up, his eyes blazing, "I will… _never_ give in to that monster!"

He spat in her face. Elsa snarled and wiped off the mix off saliva and blood. She slapped Tommy, her nails opening up four parallel cuts on his cheek.

"Tyrannodrones! Cut this fool down and toss him back into his cell. Lord Mesogog wants him somewhat healed before his next _lesson_."

Tommy nearly passed out again when his feet hit the floor, as his world exploded in pain. Ignoring his strangled cries, two Tyrannodrones grabbed his legs and two held him up by his arms. Tommy forced himself to pay attention to his surroundings as they carried him away, but all he saw was the greenish-grey ceiling. Unfortunately, the Tyrannodrones took Elsa's words literally, which was probably what she wanted anyway, and threw him back in his cell. The waves of pain on contacting the ground were enough to send him spiraling back into oblivion.

_And I never found out the date or time…_

* * *

"Wake up, Dr. Oliver."

_I'd rather not, if it's all the same to you._

"It's rather rude to ignore your host, Dr. Oliver."

_Host? Oh shoot, Mesogog!_

Tommy's eyes snapped open and he lurched up, igniting flashes of pain all over his body. The reptilian villain stood above Tommy, idly rolling a large, translucent stone in his hands.

_I hate it when I'm right._

"Good morning, Dr. Oliver."

"Is it morning?" Tommy croaked, "I wouldn't know. Lack of windows and all."

"Your attempt at levity is futile."

"Can't blame a guy for trying. So what's next? You've sent your cyborg to fry me, Elsa to seduce me, and Tyrannodrones to beat me to a pulp. What more can you do?"

"Oh, I can do much more than anything Zeltrax, Elsa or the Tyrannodrones have done to you, _much_ worse than a few broken bones," Mesogog hissed back, his voice full of pride and malice.

_So that's his name. Zeltrax. Isn't that a brand of allergy medication? No, wait, that's Zyrtec. And broken bones would explain the pain I'm currently in… I wonder what day it is… probably Sunday. Oh, Mesofreak's talking again._

"I trust you know what this is?"

"A piece of molten glass?" Tommy replied blankly. _Well, no, it's a stone encasing the Black DinoGem, but let's keep that a secret for now._

Mesogog growled. "My sensors tell me this stone encases a power source that will be most useful to me. Alas, all my efforts to retrieve this power source have been… less than successful. That's where you come in."

"Sorry, can't help you there. I'm just a high school science teacher."

"Really?" Mesogog snarled, grabbing Tommy by the shirt and pinning him against the wall. "I have very little patience, Dr. Oliver. Tell me how to free the gem!"

"Go to Hell," Tommy wheezed.

Mesogog's eyes narrowed and Tommy felt a pit of dread form in his stomach. The mutant dinosaur warned, "If you do not give me the information, I will take it from your mind."

"I'd like to see you try," Tommy spat back belligerently.

_No! YOU IDIOT!_

Mesogog's face twisted into a cruel sneer and he replied, "With pleasure."

Tommy screamed as his head exploded. Or at least, that was what it felt like. Concentrated rage and pain and hatred and malice forced its way into his mind and it hurt, it hurt so much he couldn't think anymore, he'd give anything for the pain to go away!

_Tell me how to free the DinoGem._

Free the DinoGem? Oh, that was easy – NO! Tommy caught himself before he could give anything away, forcing himself to concentrate despite the pain. He was stronger than this, d*****! But the evil forcing its way through his mind was so strong… he didn't know how long he could withstand the pain.

_You were always more susceptible to the forces of evil because of your tenure under Rita._

Maybe, but that didn't mean he was going to give in now! He had come _so far_ in all these years, he wasn't about to give in now! But it hurt, hurt so much, it hurt as bad as being electrocuted, but focused all in his head.

_Tell me how to free the DinoGem._

The DinoGems… No! He had to focus on something else. Ki – no, not something Mesogog could hurt. Focus on the dead. Focus on what he cannot touch.

_David._

Tommy poured all his effort into focusing on his image of his brother David. His brother, who was almost his twin. David's hair was a lighter brown than his, though when they had first met, their hair was the same color. Tommy's had darkened over the years, especially after he had cut it short.

David's face was squarer than Tommy's, his body a little stockier. David generally wore his hair loose, while Tommy tied his back. In his mind, he could see David wearing beige cargo pants, a white T-shirt and a brown shirt. He wore a white stone choker and half an arrowhead on a leather necklace. He had one ear pierced with a silver hoop with a falcon feather dangling from it.

_TELL ME HOW TO FREE THE DINOGEM OR I WILL DESTROY THAT MAN!_

Mesogog couldn't touch David. In late 2001, a particularly virulent strain of influenza had run through the reservation. Sam Trueheart had been among the first to die, David among the last. He hadn't even had his brother six years before he was taken away.

David had been his rock when Jason wasn't around. In the few short years he and David had known each other, they had become nearly inseparable. The sorrow emanating from his heart was apparently enough to counteract Mesogog's stream of malicious thought as the dinosaur broke off with a hiss.

Tommy sank to the ground, holding his head in pain. Mesogog stormed off, no doubt scaring his minions and Tyrannodrones. Tommy's eyes burned and he shut them tight to hold back his tears.

_B****** mutant dinosaur. I hope whatever you do next blows up in your face and kills you._

Time passed and Tommy was left with a dull ache. He didn't know how long it had been; being pulled in and out of consciousness had seriously messed with his internal stopwatch. Still weary, he contented himself with reminiscing about his brother.

They had met when Tommy was Red Zeo Ranger. He had met David's grandfather, Sam Trueheart for the first time during his Zeo Quest. Tommy had met Sam again at an art convention at Angel Grove High. He'd seen David for the first time soon after. David had mastered spirit walking by then, and took great pleasure in confusing the heck out of Tommy, as he confessed later.

Tommy had gone on a vision quest, to prove his identity. While mildly rankled, he was more than thrilled to find his family. His parents had already kicked him out by then, and he'd been alternating between living on the streets and living with his Uncle. Their early relationship had a bit of rocky start, both of them having expectations for the other that weren't quite met. It wasn't until David found out the full extent of Tommy's Ranger past that they became truly brothers.

That day was one of the best days of Tommy's life, as well as one of the most harrowing. He'd been so bitter that night, dangerously close to losing his way in life. The brothers had met up in the park, by chance or by fate, and got to talking.

_"I was looking for you at the Martial Arts Expo last weekend," David commented, "I didn't see you there."_

_Tommy smiled sadly. "I'd have gone if I could have, but I had some Ranger stuff to do."_

_David's brow furrowed. "Jason was there, wasn't he?"_

_Tommy snorted. "Jason isn't responsible for a team of Rangers, nor does he have to play interplanetary diplomat."_

_Tommy sighed and sat down on a bench, dragging his fingers through his hair. He needed a shower. Food wouldn't be too bad, either._

_"It's funny," Tommy continued, "Jason's the one who cam back from Switzerland yammering on about the good work that the teen diplomats were doing and how he'd found his calling in life, but I'm the one sitting in the Command Center with Zordon, trying to defend Earth to delegates from all over the galaxy who think we're nothing but a joke."_

_"Ouch," David said, wincing sympathetically, "Sounds like a rough job."_

_Tommy gave him a half-smirk, replying, "Well, someone's got to do it. Might as well be me. It's the least I could do…"_

_He shouldn't really be holding it against Jason. The other teen had had just as tough a job in the beginning. He couldn't begrudge Jason the happiness he had now. Besides, it was really all Gasket's fault. If he hadn't captured him and put him in front of that arena in front of countless alien races, no one would know about him, Rita's former Ranger, and the Rangers of Earth._

_David raised an eyebrow as he took in his brother's tired form. "The least? Not quite the words I would use. Tommy, you're running yourself into the ground."_

_Tommy stared out in front of him blankly. "Did I ever tell you how I became a Ranger?"_

_David looked at him curiously. "No, I don't think so."_

_Tommy set his jaw and looked up at the Moon. "The day I started at Angel Grove High, Rita Repulsa kidnapped me and made me serve her and the Green Ranger."_

_David's mind flashed back to freshman year when reports of the evil Green Ranger first started coming in._

_"It wasn't until Jason – he was Red back then – broke Rita's spell on me that I started working with the other Rangers. On top of that, I've switched sides, what, four times since then… I can never fully atone for all the damage I've done…"_

_Tommy trailed off, brooding. David looked at him, wondering what he could say. He couldn't really see his brother as evil, but he could see the guilt eating away at him, guilt that hadn't really been there the last time they'd met._

_"Tommy," he asked, a little unsurely, "What happened the three weeks you were gone?"_

_Tommy clenched his fists. "Prince Gasket… The son of King Mondo… He… He turned me evil. Again. They strapped me to a brainwashing machine, made me forget who I was… I tried to fight it off for as long as I could, but… I was too weak. I'm always too f****** weak."_

_"Tommy…"_

_Tommy shook his head. "Whatever. Forget I said anything."_

_"Don't you dare, Tommy," David cut in, "Don't shut me out. I'm your brother."_

_Tommy gave his brother a sidelong glance. "Right. For all of how long now?"_

_David stifled a sigh. "For all of our lives, genius. Just because we didn't know each other doesn't mean we weren't still brothers. And now that we do know each other, I'm not going to let you shut me out of your life."_

_"You don't want to be in my life, David, trust me. H***, I don't want to be in my life."_

_"Why don't you let me be the judge of that," David replied gently._

_He reached out and grasped Tommy's wrists, his fingers wrapping around lines that were too neat and precise to occur naturally. His brother was hurting, deeply, and every fiber of his being was crying out for him to fix it, somehow. He pressed down on the scars a little, just enough to let Tommy know he knew they were there._

_"They're old," Tommy informed him._

_"Yeah. But the ones at your elbow aren't," David replied._

_Tommy's breath caught and he stared at his brother with wide, terrified, broken eyes. He wanted to run, but David's grip kept him grounded._

_"Will you let me in, brother?" David asked softly, "Will you tell me about your past?"_

_Tommy's eyes burned and he struggled to get his heart rate back under control. The words were spilling out of his mouth before he realized what was happening. He told David everything that night, from before his days as evil Green, the orphanage, the Oliver, to fighting for Rita, to fighting on Zordon's side to his White Ranger powers and becoming the team's leader and more. He told him how his parents had kicked him out towards the end of his White Ranger days, when they found out that he'd once been the evil Green Ranger. He told him of all the times he'd fought against his friends. He told him how cut up he'd been by Kim's letter and how much trouble he'd had with the Red Battlezord. He told him how there were times, like now, when he watched the news and heard about all the war and crime around him, he just wanted to give up and let the world screw itself over. _

_By the time he was done, the sun had set and his throat felt raw._

_"I'm tired, David. I've been fighting this war so long, I've barely got anything left. The only reason Kaplan hasn't already expelled me because of all my absences is because my grades stay up. What the heck am I supposed to do in college? I can't hold a stable job if I have to keep running off to fight monsters, so there's no way I can scrounge up money for tuition and living expenses… If I even get into college."_

_David's heart broke for his brother._

_"Does your team know?"_

_"Of course they know. They were there."_

_"Does your team know your parents kicked you out?" David repeated patiently, "I'm going to assume they don't, since you've been living on the streets and with your uncle."_

_Tommy shook his head. "No. They don't know. I – I didn't want to burden them with my problems – I shouldn't have told you ei-"_

_"Tommy, shut up," David interrupted firmly, "You're not a burden. Whoever convinced you that you were needs to be dropped into the nearest volcano."_

_Tommy's lips quirked up in a weak smile and he looked at his brother in wonder. "Even after knowing all the s*** in my past… you… you still accept me? You still want me as your brother?"_

_"Always," David replied fervently, "Despite the jerk I was when we first met, I've been waiting to meet you for years. I yelled at a Power Ranger who could kick my butt from here to the moon for three hours when you went missing, bro. I'm not going to let you go."_

_Tommy gave a weak laugh. "You yelled at Jason for three hours?"_

_David scoffed, "Jason? No, I yelled at Adam for three hours. Jason I yelled at for five days, and not all of it was even in English."_

_Tommy laughed then, slightly hysteric, because if he didn't laugh, he would cry. And he hadn't cried in years, not when he lost his zords, not when Kim broke up with him, not when his parents kicked him out, not even in the dark hours of the night when he woke up trying to remember which side of the battle he was supposed to be fighting on. He hadn't cried since he had been a resident of Drescott House, and he'd vowed he would never cry again._

_He ended up breaking that vow that night anyway, as his laughter turned into sobs before his brain fully registered what was happening. David simply wrapped an arm around his shoulders, humming softly to soothe him, and offered what support he could._

David had taken Tommy home to the reservation that night, and had forced Tommy to tell his friends the truth the next day. Adam, Rocky, Kat, Billy, and Tanya had been shocked and a little hurt that he hadn't confided in them earlier. Jason had stared at him for half a minute before slapping him upside the head and telling him in no uncertain terms that he was an idiot and that he would be living with the Scotts until graduation.

_Heh. David and Jason were a force in and of themselves… I'd suffer through ten times as much in life as I already have if it meant I could still have brothers like them._

Tommy was broken out of his musings by the sound of metallic footsteps. Zeltrax was coming back.

"Hello, Dr. Oliver," the cyborg sneered.

_Hello, allergy medication. Wait, no, that's still Zyrtec. There go my hopes of creating an annoying nickname for you._

"Zeltrax," Tommy ground out, standing up to meet his opponent, regardless of his body's protests.

"Lord Mesogog wishes to know if you have decided to comply with his demands after the reprieve he so graciously allowed you."

Tommy scoffed, "Allowed? More like, he slunk off with his tail between his legs after he realized I wouldn't give him what he wanted.

Zeltrax growled. "Watch your tone. I am not as forgiving as my master."

"Mesogog is forgiving? Well, that's news to me."

Zeltrax roared angrily and swung at Tommy, who ducked out of the way.

_Great, more fighting. I'm going to be sore for so long after this is over. Why was I goading him, again?_

"Oh for the love of… In case you missed the previous demo, beating me up isn't going to get me to submit."

_Never has, never will._

"I think you'll find, Dr. Oliver, that Elsa and I have vastly different methods and that mine is ultimately superior. You will break, and I will be there to enjoy it."

_Bring it on, freak._

Several Tyrannodrones appeared behind Zeltrax. Of course. How fast could Mesogog reproduce them, anyway? Tommy eyed his opponents warily. He could probably take out the Tyrannodrones, but then he'd have no energy to fight Zeltrax. Or, conversely, he could fight Zeltrax, possibly win, and then get beaten to a pulp by the Tyrannodrones.

Well, that was irritating.

With a command from Zeltrax, the Tyrannodrones circled him. Tommy settled into a fighting stance. There was a Tyrannodrone at his back, and the fact that he couldn't see it set him on edge.

Zeltrax stalked forward, getting into Tommy's personal face, and continued, "While I would love to destroy you right now, my master believes you may be of use to us. I await the day you finally outlive your usefulness, and I will finally be able to enact my revenge and finish you once and for all."

Tommy glared at him, replying, "You don't intimidate me. And I repeat: I'll never help you."

Zeltrax snarled and walked out of the cell, leaving the Tyrannodrones to tighten their circle.

_Any chance you all just want to play Duck-Duck-Goose?_

Tommy instinctively ducked, just in time for a Tyrannodrone claw to pass over his head.

_Guess not._

Tommy reacted with a sweeping kick. The fight didn't last long, though he still felt like it lasted longer than it would have had he been at full strength. Tommy wiped the sweat that had broken out on his brow away with a slightly trembling hand, his breathing strained. What was the _point_ of leaving Tyrannodrones for him to fight? They knew he could destroy them.

Tommy picked up an arm that had broken off from one of the robots and threw it at the entryway. It sizzled and sparked in the electrical force-field that was clearly still in place.

_And there go my plans of escaping. Great, now I get to sit here, in this lovely cell, with a bunch of defunct Tyrannodrones to keep me company. Jeez, I'm tired enough that I don't even fully care anymore._

Tommy sat down against the far wall with a sigh. How long had he been here? He had absolutely nothing that he could use to escape, save the shorts they had dressed him in – and he was forcing himself _not_ to think on the specifics of that act – and the broken Tyrannodrones around him. It wasn't as if he had pliers and a soldering iron to start re-wiring the Tyrannodrones into a weapon he could use, and he was still somewhat incapacitated.

_Judging by the length of time the fight took, I'd put myself at about thirty-five percent, maybe forty, Honestly, I'm surprised I healed so quickly. The constant threat must be forcing the Power to stay active and heal me quickly, though not as quickly as when I was an active Ranger…_

Tommy stopped cold as a horrible realization dawned on him.

_It's a test. This is all a test to see what my limits are!_

"I know what you're doing, Mesogog," Tommy shouted, knowing that the villain had the cell under surveillance, "And it's _not_ going to work! You can test me all you like, but it won't help you in the end!"

His fighting style changed to a degree with each set of powers he went through, and he knew numerous different forms across several types of martial arts on top of that. He'd spent years training himself not to show his full skill set to anyone, so that when catastrophe struck, he'd still have an ace or two up his sleeve.

Obviously, there was no response from his captors. Tommy's satisfaction from yelling was starting to fade when blue gas started spewing into the cell.

_What the heck?!_

The gas smelled of bananas, and though Tommy covered his nose and mouth, it filled the entire cell until he had no choice but to inhale.

_Please don't be cyanide, please don't be cyanide… Wait, cyanide doesn't smell of bananas, nor is it blue. You're a scientist, man, start acting like it!_

Tommy looked around the cell again. There had to be a vent allowing the gas in and out. The question was whether or not he could access it. There was also the identity of the gas to consider.

_The gas won't kill me. First of all, Mesogog needs me alive to free the DinoGem. Second, there are plenty of odorless, colorless ways to get the job done… He's taunting me, trying to show that he can do whatever he wants to me, and I can't do a thing about it._

Tommy scowled. _Well, we'll just see about that._

Tommy settled back down into a meditative stance. He turned his focus inward, listening to his heartbeat and reading his own vital signs. It wasn't a sedative, at least. He was reasonably sure it wasn't a narcotic, either, because his body had strange reactions to those.

"You know, you could always just ask Mesogog what he pumped into the cell," a female voice said, breaking his trance.

Tommy's eyes shot open and he immediately pulled himself up into a fighting stance to face the intruder. His body and mind promptly froze.

_What…?_

In front of him stood a petite girl with dark brown hair and chocolate eyes, dressed in a pink halter top and white shorts – Kimberly Hart, age 16.

Tommy's eyes widened. "K-Kim?"

Kim grinned. "Of course, Handsome, who did you think it would be?"

Tommy shook his head, his mind racing. "Y-you're not Kim. Kim is in Florida, not to mention twenty-five years old and happily married. The only person she calls 'Handsome' is her husband, Jake Henderson."

Kim smirked, and suddenly she was right in front of Tommy, barely six inches between them. "Come on, _Dr. Oliver_, use that brain of yours. Why would a sixteen-year-old Kimberly Hart be in your cell, when she clearly doesn't exist anymore?"

Tommy's breath hitched. She'd moved so quickly, he almost hadn't seen her move – no. He _hadn't _seen her move, and he'd been staring right at her. That meant she _hadn't_ walked forward. She had to have disappeared and reappeared in front of him.

"You're a hallucination," he declared.

Kim smiled. "Got it in one, Handsome," she chirped, and vanished.

_Well, that was interesting._

So the gas was a hallucinogen. Now, Tommy had to wonder why Mesogog wanted him hallucinating, and, more importantly, what his own mind was going to produce under the effects of the drug.

* * *

It was a good half-hour until he received his next visitor.

"Hello, Tommy."

Tommy immediately stood up to face the intruder, once more a woman, head on. He swore mentally.

"… What deity did I piss off to get _you_ as a hallucination?"

The woman cackled. "Now, Tommy, is that any way to speak to your Empress?"

Tommy glared at her. "I will _never_ call you that again, _Rita_."

Rita seemed to find this highly amusing, throwing back her head and laughing. "You've got a lot of fire in you. I always liked that about you, Tommy."

Rita sauntered over to him, and gently stroked his cheek. Tommy flinched and slapped her hand away, reminding himself that this was just a hallucination.

"You're not real, he declared, "You're just a drug-induced product of my imagination."

Rita's eyes glittered and she leaned close to him. Tommy idly noted that he was taller than her by at least six inches.

"I may be a hallucination, my Green warrior," Rita murmured in Tommy's ear, "But I'm more real than anyone else you'll see while under the drug's influence. After all, no one else has touched your mind like I have."

Tommy's eyes widened in shock. "What – what are you saying?"

Rita smiled and carded her fingers through the now-frozen man's dark hair.

"I wasn't lying or exaggerating when I said I made you mine, Tommy. The spell left its mark on your mind. A part of me will always be with you, and you'll always be a part of the darkness."

"No," Tommy denied, "I'm not – I _won't_. I've spent too many years fighting for the good of mankind to become a servant of Evil again."

Rita laughed again, but this time it was harsh and bitter. "So you say, Tommy. But, my dear child, we both know the truth."

"I'm not a child!" Tommy exploded, pushing Rita away, "Least of all yours."

_Why am I shaking? I left this… this woman eleven years ago. She has no hold over me anymore. So why do I still hurt when I think about her?_

"You're not Rita," Tommy said firmly, pretending the loss of her fingers in his hair didn't affect him.

"Oh?" the Empress asked, "And you know that for sure?"

"Yeah."

Rita smiled softly. She stepped up to him once more, pushing down the hands he held up to ward her off and kissed his cheek.

"As you say," she said as she vanished, "Son."

Tommy stared at the spot Rita had just vacated, numb with shock.

_That… That did not just happen. Come on, Tommy, your mind is just playing tricks on you. Horrible, confusing tricks. That's all. _

_That's all._

Tommy dropped to his knees, pressing the heels of his palms against his temples.

_I do not need this right now. I really, really do not need to pull up my old demons and grapple with them right now, when I should be focusing on how to get out of here._

Old demons. Old demons that he'd sworn he'd put to rest. He'd only ever told one person the full extent of his 'relationship' with Rita, and that was the only other Ranger she had enslaved – Kat. She was the only one he'd ever told that there were nights when he _hurt_ because he was fighting on the side of good, and Rita was trying to destroy him – not get him back.

He'd wanted her to fight for him… to prove that maybe, just maybe, he meant something to her.

She never did, of course, and over time, he'd packed away that treacherous part of him that found a mother in Rita. With the help of Jason, Zordon, David, and all his other friends, he'd moved on with his life to become one of the greatest warriors for good Earth – and the galaxy, for that matter – had ever seen.

It was just his luck to break down here, in full view of Mesogog.

_Oh. S***. That's right, Mesogog can see everything. He's probably hoping that I'll spill the secrets of the DinoGem while hallucinating. Well, that's just spectacular. Given my abysmal drop in self-control, I might end up doing just that._

"Okay, Tom. Just keep your mouth shut until the drug wears off. That shouldn't be too hard, right?"

Right.

This was going to be a _long_ day.

* * *

A/N: And that puts us at 25 pages, and a sort of mild cliff-hanger. So, I should address a few things:

David - With all the trauma I put Tommy through, I figured Tommy could use a decent brother. And, to be honest, I really wanted to delve deeper into the David/Tommy relationship, and I needed a reason for Tommy to still hurt over his death.

Rita - Um... I'm not actually sure what happened here. This is one of those instances where the story wrote itself and didn't see fit to warn me. I feel like Tommy's relationship with Rita will be an undercurrent in the fic, though, because it's such a fun and potent idea to work with...

Tommy's healing - I tried not to make him superpowered, or anything, and my theories on Ranger healing will be explained in more detail later. Keep in mind, though, that a) Tommy's in prime physical condition, b) he _does_ have an extra energy source helping him heal, and c) he's in a world of pain regardless.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Let me know if you have any questions/comments. Please leave a review!


	5. Back in Black

A/N: Here's a life lesson for you: CHEATERS NEVER WIN. Remember my plan to squeeze Tommy's scenes in Legacy of Power in with the scenes from Back in Black to keep the chapters relatively the same length? Hah! FORTY-TWO PAGES! I tried not to make it so long, but there were somethings that were just determined to be discussed, so I decided to give in and write until the chapter stopped.

Many thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, alerted, and/or favorited this fic! I'm so glad you're enjoying it!

WARNING: There will be violence and censored cursing in this chapter. You think Jason and Kim under Maligore's power were bad? You haven't seen anything yet.

* * *

**Back in Black:**

Tommy ducked as the sword hit wall where his head had been, sending out sparks from the friction.

"Come on, Jason! Just look for a second! Do I look like the fourteen-year-old you fought?"

"I won't be taken in by your tricks, Green Ranger!" Jason, the Original Red Ranger snarled and leaped forward to attack.

_Of all the versions of Jason I could come up with, it had to be the one who hated the Green Ranger's guts before my identity was discovered… What the heck is wrong with my mind?_

As it turned out, hallucinations could still make him hurt, which was why he was now trying avoid getting killed by his best friend. Well, a past version of his best friend.

How many hours had it been, now? Some of his hallucinations had been mere flashes of people, like Carter chasing Joel down the corridor, yelling at him to return his jacket.

_Poor Carter, we all take too much pleasure in stealing his jacket… Whether it was Joel at the Aquabase, or Wes and Cole on the way back from the Serpenterra mission._

Other times, his visitors had stayed for a long period of time, the longest being Kai Chen who had appeared in his cell and stared at him for forty-five minutes. Yeah, he was still trying to figure that one out. The only real contact he'd had with Kai was at Leo and Kendrix's wedding.

He'd also had Billy and Adam show up and talk to him about the Zords. It was only the fact that he knew Mesogog was watching that kept him from replying. Still, he made a mental note to catch up with the two of them when he got free. They were sure to have some interesting conversations.

_There is some kind of irony in the fact that my best friend is the one trying to kill me, and my worst enemy was the most… affectionate… of my hallucinations._

Tommy scrambled backward and tripped over a Tyrannodrone's leg, falling to the ground. Jason roared and swung down his sword, ready to separate Tommy's head from his neck.

_S***!_

The blow never connected. Tommy rolled out of the way, finding himself precariously close to the doorway of his cell, where he knew the electrical field was. He picked himself up, calculating whether he'd be able to make it past Jason if he jumped

"Tommy!"

_Who the… ANTON?!_

Tommy jerked his head around in shock to see a blond man at the far end of the corridor, looking at him with a terrified, broken expression.

"Anton?!"

_Seriously, what is wrong with my mind that now I'm hallucinating about you, too?!_

"Tommy! I – I'm so sorry! I-"

Tommy didn't hear the rest of Anton's statement as Jason barreled into him and sent him into the electrical field. Pain flooded every fiber of his being and he screamed, his body convulsing in mid-air. He couldn't even form a coherent thought, the pain was too great.

Tommy dropped to the ground, twitching. He didn't even have the energy to move his arms. Beyond him, he could see Anton… apologizing to him?

_Anton… what… what are you so sorry for?_

Anton's face melted away to reveal Mesogog and a curtain of black descended over Tommy's vision.

* * *

"Wake up, Dr. Oliver."

_Oh for the love of… not again…_

Tommy peeled his eyes open and looked up into the face of his reptilian captor. He was still lying down on the ground, and from what he could see, there were no more Tyrannodrones around him.

"What do you want now, Mesogog?" he demanded tiredly.

_I'd really like to get back to sleep. Food and water wouldn't be too bad either, if I didn't think you would drug me._

"You already know what I want," Mesogog rasped.

"And you already know my answer," Tommy snapped back.

Mesogog snarled, pulling Tommy up by the throat and slamming him against the wall. Stars exploded across the paleontologist's vision, weakening his grip on consciousness.

"Perhaps, you need some motivation," Mesogog hissed, his face inches from Tommy's.

"Heh, perhaps you haven't noticed, but I don't respond to physical trauma. And I'm sure the readings you got from when I was hallucinating told you what my drug tolerance was."

Mesogog simply bared his teeth in a parody of a smile. "So it's a good thing I choose not to employ either of those methods then, isn't it?"

With that, Mesogog slammed his energy into Tommy's mind. Tommy's screams rang out through the cell, but he didn't hear them. He was trapped in a maelstrom of hate and rage and malice and evil and _pain_.

_Do you know what will happen if you do not free the Gem for me?_

An image of Kira with a worried expression on her face flashed through his mind. "We have to find Dr. Oliver."

_No, Kira! Don't you touch her!_

Mesogog laughed. Another image flashed through his mind, this time of all three Rangers standing in Mesogog's lair, morphed.

_They will come for you, the little heroes._

He saw his Rangers fighting against Tyrannodrones, Zeltrax, Elsa, and Mesogog himself, and they were losing badly.

_And I will CRUSH them._

Kira, Conner, and Ethan lay unmorphed and bleeding amongst the rubble. Ethan's head was twisted at an impossible angle, his glassy eyes staring out into nothing. Kira's arm was broken and her clothes were shredded, with blood and soot covering every inch of them. A bloody metal pole protruded from her stomach. Conner was struggling to push himself up, blood pouring from his mouth when Zeltrax stepped up to him and plunged his sword through the teen's throat.

_NO!_

Tommy flailed in Mesogog's grip, driving the mutant's claws further into his neck.

_This will never happen! The Rangers will defeat you!_

Mesogog's cruel laughter resounded in Tommy's mind as image after image of his Rangers' complete and utter destruction poured in. Mesogog showed him how, after defeating the Rangers, he would kill them, take their DinoGems, and then use their bodies to build more Tyrannodrones.

_No! Don't you dare! Don't you F****** DARE TOUCH MY KIDS! YOU STAY THE H*** AWAY FROM THEM, OR I WILL RIP YOUR D*** THROAT OUT!_

Mesogog stepped back, relinquishing his grip on Tommy's throat. Tommy dropped his knees one hand going to his neck and the other to his head, chanting, "Nononononono…"

"I will leave you to consider what you have learned," Mesogog said, "Perhaps then you will make the right choice."

He turned and left, leaving Tommy to face the deaths of the three teens he wanted so desperately to protect.

* * *

About two, maybe two-and-a-half hours later, Zeltrax entered Tommy's cell. The paleontologist looked up at him from where he was sitting, a bleak, hateful expression on his face.

"What do you want?"

"You know what we want. Have you decided to aid Lord Mesogog yet?"

Something inside Tommy snapped. How dare they? He had been starved, tortured, and had his mind raped, and these monsters thought he would help them? No. H*** no.

Tommy stood up, his body taut with rage and hatred.

"You and Mesogog can go to H***."

_I'm sorry, Jase, but I have to do this._

Tommy reached deep within himself and _pulled_, grasping at a part of himself he'd once sworn he'd never return to. Power exploded within him, pounding through his veins, demanding _vengeance_.

Tommy's eyes flickered green.

_Alright, you little b******, now you've made me mad._

Tommy stalked forward, his eyes gleaming dangerously. His posture screamed 'predator' and Zeltrax felt a visceral fear take hold of him. Tommy gave the cyborg a dark smile.

"Tell me something, Zeltrax. Do you _honestly_ think a _worthless_ _failure_ like _you_ can defeat _me_?"

Zeltrax roared angrily and leaped forward to attack… which was exactly what Tommy wanted.

Tommy's hands shot forward, his fingers curling around Zeltrax's wrist and wrenching the sword away. He then drove his fist into the stunned cyborg's face. Zeltrax flew back several feet, hitting the wall with a loud clang.

"What – what is this?"

"This?" Tommy replied, "This is what happens when you piss off the most powerful warriors to ever walk the planet." _Especially one who's an ex-evil Ranger._

Tommy stalked forward again and picked Zeltrax up, getting ready to throw him across the room.

"This is what happens when you threaten his kids."

Zeltrax landed on his back at the other side of the cell and Tommy rolled his shoulders, loosening the muscles. Zeltrax picked himself up and called out, "Tyrannodrones!"

_Hiding behind your toys already? Pathetic._

Tommy bared his teeth in a dark grin. As if mere Tyrannodrones could stand up to him. He didn't even wait for them to attack, leaping forward and tearing one Tyrannodrone's arm right out of its socket. He drove his elbow into it's chest, sending it flying backward and immediately whirled around to strike another one.

Tommy's movements were swift and powerful, executed with maximum efficiency. If the Tyrannodrones had been people, Tommy would be facing death row for multiple homicides.

Somewhere in the midst of the fight, Zeltrax had joined in, this time with greater vigor. Tommy ducked under the cyborg's punch, scoffing, "Is this the best you've got? This is barely a warm-up!"

Tommy knocked Zeltrax's feet out from under him and latched onto his arm as he went down. When Zeltrax's knees hit the floor, Tommy pushed his foot against his shoulder and pulled back sharply. Zeltrax's arm broke free with a sickening tear and an agonized scream.

_Now that's music to my ears._

Tommy tossed the appendage between his hands and said nonchalantly, "Oh, I'm sorry, did you need this?"

"Zeltrax?" a sharp female voice called out, "What's going on?"

Tommy turned around with a feral grin.

"Well, hello there, Elsa," he drawled, "Need a hand with anything?"

Tommy tossed Zeltrax's arm to the woman. She caught it automatically and then threw it away with a cry of disgust when she realized what it was.

"What _are_ you?" Elsa demanded shakily, "No normal man could have done that, especially not in your condition!"

_Would saying 'I'm your worst nightmare' be too cliché? Probably_.

"I'm the reason the United Alliance of Evil kept its filthy hands away from Earth for so long."

_Fools actually thought I was down for the count after I passed the mantle to TJ._

Tommy stepped forward, relishing the fear that flickered in Elsa's eyes.

"I tore apart your boyfriend with my bare hands. What do you think I could do to you?"

"St-stay away from her!" Zeltrax howled, struggling to get up.

Tommy glanced over at Zeltrax disparagingly and drove his heel into Zeltrax's stomach, silencing him. He turned back to Elsa.

"So, tell me, Elsa – do you think you could do any better?"

Elsa drew her sword and retorted, "Hah! I'm not intimidated by you!"

_You should be_.

Tommy let Elsa attack first, finally noticing that the electrical field on the door was absent. He easily side-stepped her strike and responded with a wild kick that knocked her off her feet. She scrambled back as he approached, picking herself up and readying for another strike. Tommy darted forward, punching her in the abdomen and wrenching the sword out of her grip.

Tommy twirled the sword in his hand, noting how different it was from the other swords he'd held.

"You know, I normally have a rule about not hitting ladies," Tommy commented, kicking Elsa down as she tried to get up, "But somehow, you don't qualify as a lady."

He paused staring down at the frightened woman.

_It would be so easy to kill you now. It's lucky for you that I'm a fighter for good._

Tommy drove the sword into the ground beside Elsa's head and walked away.

"Wha… What are you doing?" Elsa whispered.

Tommy stopped and looked over his shoulder. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm walking away. You're not really my type, Elsa."

_Now, I wonder where my clothes are…_

* * *

Several hours later found Tommy navigating through the thick foliage on Mesogog's island, dressed in his own clothes once more. Surprisingly, he found them, his now-broken watch, his dead cell phone, and the morpher in a storage room, most likely because Mesogog didn't know what the morpher was for, or how to operate it. Or, he could have just been too busy to analyze it yet. Either way, it was good luck for Tommy.

Tommy pushed aside a branch that was in his face, his eye catching once more on the morpher he now wore on his wrist. It was one thing he couldn't afford to lose, not after all the hard work he and Hayley had put into it. He tried not to focus on how _right_ it felt to wearing it.

_You're not a Ranger anymore. You just have some access to the Power. Jason's going to skin you alive as it is when you get back._

Tommy sighed in aggravation. Mesogog had restructured the island, so he had no idea where the coast was. He'd been wandering through the forest for a long time, with no luck. He'd almost been caught by Tyrannodrones several times, once even walking right into an assembly line where the Tyrannodrones were being repaired and created.

If he had anything left in his stomach, he'd have vomited it up.

Tommy darted behind a tree as a Tyrannodrone passed by.

_A patrol? This far out? No, there would be more Tyrannodrones nearby if this was a patrol._

So, why was the Tyrannodrone wandering around here? Tommy had barely processed the thought when he saw the Tyrannodrone twitch, turning its head around almost 180 degrees.

_Ah. A malfunctioning Tyrannodrone. This could be useful._

With swift, sure strikes, Tommy disabled the Tyrannodrone. He knelt down beside the sparking metal contraption and pulled out his phone.

_Let's hope this works._

Tommy pulled two wires from the Tyrannodrone and pressed the metal tips against the bottom of his phone, where the charger cord would normally be attached. Ten seconds later, the screen flickered to life.

_17 missed calls. 9 unheard voicemails. 7 unread text messages._

Hayley, Jason, and Kim. Kim and Hayley would have been worried that he'd never made it to Florida, and Jason would be demanding why he'd tapped into his Green Ranger powers. He dialed Hayley first.

"Tommy?! Where are you? Do you have any idea how worried I've-"

"Hayley," Tommy interrupted, "I don't have much time. Mesogog will know very quickly where I am if he detects any signal going out of his island."

"Mesogog – what?"

"Mesogog captured me, Hayley," Tommy snapped impatiently, looking around warily. He could noises in the distance and his phone was giving him a warning beep that the battery was about to die. He had five minutes at the most.

"I'm trapped on his island. I need you to crack his firewall and free up the Invisiportal network so I can get back to the city."

The noises were getting louder, which meant the source was getting closer.

"That'll take time, Tommy. I'll call the school and let them know you won't be in today. The Rangers-"

"No! Don't bring the three of them into this!" Tommy exclaimed urgently as an image of their broken bodies flashed through his mind.

"What? Tommy, they've been fighting Mesogog's goons for over a month now."

"Exactly, his goons. Not Mesogog himself. He'll kill them!"

Tommy winced inwardly as his voice rose in pitch. He pushed back his rising panic and looked around for whoever was coming his way.

"Tommy, what-"

Tommy didn't hear the rest of Hayley's sentence as his phone was shot out of his hand by none other than Zeltrax.

_Well, I see someone got his arm fixed._

"Hello again, Dr. Oliver," Zeltrax droned as he crushed on Tommy's phone under his foot.

_Hey, I paid good money for that, b******._

Tommy scowled and settled into a fighting stance. "You really want to do this again?"

"I am better prepared this time."

_Yeah, right,_ Tommy thought to himself as he tapped further into his Green Ranger powers. He could feel his muscles burn slightly, warning him not to go any deeper.

_S***, I don't have enough power to pull off what I did earlier. I'm going to have to distract him and run._

The battle was short and brutal, leaving Tommy bruised with a dislocated shoulder. In turn, he'd managed to throw Zeltrax into a tree and distract him by shoving several other Tyrannodrones – both whole and defunct – at him so that he could sprint away in the other direction.

_I really, really hate doing this, but he who runs away lives to fight another day._

He stumbled over a tree root and fell to the ground, letting out a grunt of pain as his shoulder was rammed back into place. The world spun and blurred around him as he struggled to get up again.

_D*** it, come on, Oliver, GET UP! Work through the pain!_

Tommy pushed himself up, but pain flared from his injured shoulder and his arms buckled, sending him crashing down to the ground again. The world started to blur and fade away as Tommy's exhaustion crashed into him full force.

_D***… it…_

* * *

When Tommy returned to consciousness again, he realized he was being carried. He lashed out immediately, but his fatigue meant he was quickly subdued by the Tyrannodrones around him.

_And I've been captured, AGAIN. Brilliant. I wonder how long I was out…_

"I would advise you not to try and run again, Dr. Oliver," Zeltrax warned.

A door slid open in front of them, and Zeltrax walked in announcing, "My Lord, the prisoner."

Tommy continued straining against the Tyrannodrones and glared.

_What, I don't have a name anymore?_

"Finally!" Mesogog hissed, "Tie him to the life-force extractor."

_Oh s***. That really doesn't sound good. And of course, tapping into my powers now means killing myself anyway._

"What do you want with me now?" Tommy demanded as the Tyrannodrones strapped him down to a chair, "You already know I can't help you!"

"Can't, or won't?" Mesogog snarled.

"Can't," Tommy spat back, "Like I said, I'm just a high school science teacher."

"Really?" Mesogog commented, leaning towards Tommy abruptly. "A high school science teacher? Who just happens to have taught three _brats_ to become Power Rangers?"

_Hey, watch it! They're not brats!_

"I know you know what's inside this stone," the reptilian villain said, crossing over to the other side of the chair, "You're going to help me get it out, or you will _not_ like the consequences."

_I already don't like the consequences, thanks. D*** it, what are these straps made of? They shouldn't be this hard to break!_

"Why do you want the Gem so badly, anyway?" Tommy asked, stalling for time.

"Once I access the power in this rock," Mesogog explained, circling the Gem, "My dream of returning the planet to its prehistoric roots will be a mere formality."

_… Okay, that's sick. And not in the way Ethan normally uses it, either._

Tommy rolled his eyes and looked away. "Why can't you just want to rule the Earth, like all the other sickos?"

"Are you going to tell me how to open that stone, or not?"

"Take a wild guess," Tommy retorted. _Why do these freaks always think I'm going to help them destroy my own planet?_

Mesogog gave a false sigh and pressed a button. "Have it your way."

The probe above Tommy lit up with purple energy and Mesogog commented, "Why are they always so stubborn?"

_Because this is my planet, d*****. My home, my people, my reason for fighting!_

Tommy continued straining at his bindings, looking for a weak spot, something to fight with, anything. He could feel the machine's energy reaching into him, searching for his life force.

_No! No, you can't take that! I'm not going to let you touch my life force!_

In the midst of his panic, Tommy realized that he wasn't in the excruciating pain associated with having his life force drained. It was as if… the Power was blocking the machine…

_Alright, calm down, Oliver. This buys you some time until you can figure out some way to get out. Until then, play up the pain so that Mesogog doesn't figure out what's going on._

That was easy enough to do. He had blocked of most of the pain he was already in, but now he opened his mind to a little.

_F***… I really did a number on myself this time! It's a miracle I'm even conscious right now. Stupid inability to stay unconscious in the presence of enemies._

Apparently satisfied that he had caused his prisoner a significant amount of pain, Mesogog turned off the life force extractor and Tommy pushed his pain to the back of his mind again.

Circling around to Tommy's blind spot, Mesogog said, "This is your final chance, _Dr. Oliver_. Free the gem from its resting place, or feel the wrath of my disappointment."

"Do I have to pick one?"

Mesogog sauntered over to the Gem, and Tommy finally noticed Elsa working in the background. She was staunchly avoiding looking at him.

_Well, looks like someone else got themselves fixed up, too._

"Your attempt at levity is as feeble as your attempt at self-sacrifice," Mesogog declared.

Images of Conner, Kira, and Ethan lying dead amidst rubble and their defeat at the hands of Mesogog crowded Tommy's mind again. How did Mesogog know that he had tried to keep the Rangers away? And more importantly, why was he bringing it up now?

Mesogog pushed the cart holding the Gem towards Tommy. As soon as his feet made contact, Tommy felt the breath knocked out of him as the Power of the DinoGem raced through him. It had chosen _him_.

_Oh… That is one powerful Gem… And I haven't even touched it with it yet!_

Tommy felt his injuries heal and his pain fade away. He felt the morpher on his wrist all the more keenly, now knowing that it was for him. The dream he'd been having for the past few days came back to him.

_It was foretelling my return as an active Ranger… Amazing. Ah, Mesogog's talking again._

"If you won't do it for yourself," Mesogog was saying, "Perhaps you will for you _precious students_."

Tommy froze, his eyes sparking in anger. _Touch my students and I WILL KILL YOU!_

"Elsa…"

Elsa turned at the sound of her name and walked to her master, glaring at Tommy. "Yes, my Lord?"

"The three teenagers," Mesogog told her, "Bring them to me."

_NO! Stay away from them!_

Suddenly, an alarm started echoing through the room. Elsa looked up at a television screen, reporting, "Master, it's them… on some kind of vehicles."

_Ah, H***. Hayley, I told you not to get them involved. At least you gave them the Raptor Cycles._

"Like obedient dogs," Mesogog sneered, "I speak, and they come."

_Don't you DARE call my kids dogs, you mutant freak! And they're not here for you, they're here for me._

"I could save you some trouble," Tommy scoffed back, "Good guys always win."

"I suppose that all depends on who you believe the good guys to be."

_You're trying to destroy humanity and take pleasure in torturing innocent paleontologists. You're not one of the good guys. Don't think I've forgotten what you did when you first showed up. Jeez, I wish I could just blow up the island again. Maybe this time, you'd actually die._

"Zeltrax! Elsa!" Mesogog ordered, "Go, and bring help. I want _no mistakes_ this time!"

"Yes, my Lord," Zeltrax replied as the two of them left.

Tommy watched the ensuing battle with equal parts trepidation and pride. The Rangers were good, there was no doubt about that. Kira firing at the Tyrannodrones while upside down in mid-air was simply spectacular, as was Conner kicking Zeltrax in the chest, and Ethan's aim was one of the truest he'd seen.

His Rangers were good. Maybe, they'd make it out of this safely after all.

"I told you they'd win," Tommy shot as Mesogog snarled at the incompetence of his minions.

"It seems we have visitors…"

"I'm going to take a guess that it's for you," Tommy snarked, struggling at his bindings with renewed vigor.

"There's that wit again," Mesogog commented, "If I had a sense of humor, I might actually enjoy it."

_Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery, hasn't anyone told you?_

"I'll handle the intruders myself," Mesogog said as he left.

Tommy looked around. Tyrannodrones and bindings that _still wouldn't break_… nasty-looking machines… He could hear Kira and Ethan's voices as they faced Mesogog. For a moment, he thought the monster had attacked their minds, but then he heard the patter of their footsteps coming towards him.

"Hey!" he called out, grabbing their attention as they entered.

They raced to him and started undoing the clasps on the straps.

"Hit the red button on the panel," he ordered. _Closing the door won't hold Mesogog off for long, but it should buy us some time._

"I should have known you'd try to rescue me," Tommy muttered as his fingers started flying over the controls. _Come on, disable the firewall and clear the speed limits for our way back…_

"Is that your way of saying 'Thank you'?" Ethan demanded, "'Cause if it is, it needs some work."

Pushing back an image of Ethan's broken neck and glassy eyes, Tommy replied curtly, "I'll thank you for real when we get out of here. We can use the main Invisiportal network."

"Whoa," Kira murmured as a large Invisiportal appeared.

"Hayley gave you guys the Raptor Cycles, right?" _I'm not still hallucinating?_

Upon Ethan's murmur of assent, Tommy turned to move away. "This way."

"Wait!" Ethan exclaimed, grabbing a hold of Tommy, not realizing that the veteran Ranger barely restrained himself from reflexively throwing him across the room.

"We need to talk."

_About what, Ethan? And why now, when we're about to get attacked by a very pissed off dinosaur?_

"Go!" Tommy ordered, "I'll explain later."

_Get the H*** out now, before you get into deeper s*** than you can handle!_

"We already know everything," Conner added.

"We found the video diary," Kira explained.

_Which explains why Hayley actually let you come. You were in my basement before she even got there._

"We know you're a Power Ranger," Ethan declared, his eyes glittering with glee.

The door slid open as Tommy replied, "_Was_, Ethan. Not anymore." _And not again until I get the Black DinoGem._

Mesogog pushed past his henchmen and snarled, "Ranger or not, you're mine now!"

_And there goes my plan of not letting him know I was a Ranger._

Tommy shook his head disgustedly. "I hate when he gets like this." _What is it with evil villains and being so possessive?_

"We can take it from here, Dr. O," Conner said, stepping protectively in front of his teacher.

_Good. Keep him occupied while I grab the Gem_.

Of course it wasn't going to be that easy. Almost instantly, the four of them were embroiled in a fierce battle. Tommy punched and kicked at the Tyrannodrones standing in his way, until he found his strike blocked perfectly by Mesogog.

_Oh, you had better not have gotten that from my mind, Mesogog, because then, an exploding island will be the least of your worries._

Tommy found himself being thrown across the room, hitting something metal and falling down.

"Dr. O!" Conner cried out.

_Ugh, that hurt like a b****. I repeat my earlier statement: Get out now, before you get into too much trouble._

"Head for the portal!" Tommy ordered, "I've got to get something."

"But-"

"Hurry!" _Come on, Mesogog, turn around and be distracted by my escaping Rangers._

Mesogog did exactly what Tommy wanted and the veteran Ranger used his distraction to dart past him and grab the stone encasing the DinoGem, catapulting himself over the cart. He kicked out at the Tyrannodrones in his way and leaped up into the Invisiportal.

"You made it!" Kira cheered as he dropped to the ground behind them.

_Yeah… That was nasty. Remind me never to travel by Invisiportal again._

"Do we really need a souvenir?" Conner wondered.

"This one we do," Tommy replied, his grip tightening around the stone. "Go! I'm right behind you!"

_I really don't want to jump into another Invisiportal… But I want to face a horde of evil beings who want my head on a silver platter even less._

With no other alternative, Tommy leaped into the Invisiportal. He dropped to the ground on his knees, putting one hand out to keep his balance. He immediately stood up, ignoring his dizziness as Elsa, Zeltrax, and their crew appeared behind him.

He turned around in time to see Zeltrax fire energy from his sword. Tommy held out the stone, hoping out deflect the sword's energy. It did him one better: it absorbed the energy and used to release the DinoGem.

"Dr. O!"

_Easy, Conner, I know what I'm doing. Sort of. I just… need to hold it… steady…_

The stone exploded in a flash of light and Power that knocked Tommy off his feet. The Power flooded his veins, this time accompanied by the old, wise, and powerful spirit of the Brachiosaurus.

_Dragonkin._

Tommy pushed himself up, noting the small rock his fist was curled around, and the fact that he couldn't see himself. Actually, that nearly made him fall down again.

_I… I'm invisible? This must be the power of my DinoGem! That's awesome! Wait, hang on, why is Kira on her knees?_

"This can't be happening," the Yellow Ranger said in disbelief.

"Such negativity," Elsa mocked, "Haven't you learned that in our world, anything's possible?"

"Even the destruction of the great Dr. Tommy Oliver," Zeltrax added.

_Aw, Zeltrax, you think I'm great? I'm flattered. Now, it's showtime!_

Tommy channeled his energy and reappeared in front of the others with a smirk.

"I heard my name. You missed me, didn't you, Zeltrax?"

He could practically _feel_ the relief and happiness from the other Rangers as they sheered and raced up to him.

"Awesome!" the Red Ranger exclaimed.

"Right on," the Yellow Ranger agreed.

"You made it!" the Blue Ranger said.

Conner grabbed Tommy's slightly-glowing hand by the wrist, causing him to unfurl his fingers.

"Hey, Dr. O – what's this?"

The lack DinoGem gleamed with power in the late afternoon light.

"A black DinoGem," Ethan mused, "Let me guess – the power of invisibility!"

"Looks like it," Tommy replied, looking at the ones who would now be his teammates.

"That Gem belongs to my master," Elsa declared.

Tommy's stance shifted and he smirked at the villainess. "There's two things you guys need to learn about DinoGems. One: You can't choose them. _They_ choose _you_."

"And what's the other?" Elsa asked disinterestedly.

_My favorite part of all._

Tommy flicked his wrist, revealing his DinoMorpher. "They go _real_ well with DinoMorphers."

Tommy pressed the Gem into his morpher, his eyes glittering with confidence as he felt the familiar flow of Power from before he morphed.

"Hmph," Elsa scoffed, "Aren't you a little old for this, _Tommy_?"

_Oh, you're going to wish you hadn't said that. Besides, if Wes and Eric can still do it, why can't I?_

"I may be old, but I can still pull it off. DINOTHUNDER, POWER UP!"

And the DinoThunder Black Ranger was born.

"Just like riding a bike," Tommy said. _A very dangerous, adrenaline-pumping, powerful bike._

"One more makes no difference," Zeltrax growled, "Attack!"

The Rangers scattered to battle their foes. Tommy quickly disposed of the Tyrannodrones around him, noticing the Brachio powers gave him a very solid, earth-like style, very different from his Falcon powers.

The best part was being able to stop Zeltrax's sword with his forearm.

_I'd almost forgotten how strong the Ranger suits are. Sorry, Zeltrax, your sword's got nothing on me now._

Tommy pulled out his own weapon, the Brachio Staff.

_Ooh, this I like!_

"Let's see what you're made of," Zeltrax taunted.

_You really want to go there? After the beat down I gave you this morning?_

"Give it up, Zeltrax!"

"Never!"

Zeltrax charged and Tommy found himself having to block a flurry of strikes.

_Looks like he found his second wind_, Tommy thought to himself.

"Oh, hello," he muttered as Zeltrax's sword passed in front of his face. He reached out to disarm the cyborg, but Zeltrax kicked him in the chest and sent him skidding back a few feet.

"Is that all you've got, _Black Ranger_?"

"Give me a break! It's been a while." _And, you know, I haven't had any food or water in the past three days, instead having to fight for my life in ways that are potentially damaging to my body._

The two of them leaped back into battle, sword meeting staff. Tommy kicked and Zeltrax blocked. Zeltrax thrust and Tommy parried. They were more or less evenly matched, but Zeltrax's movements were becoming more erratic as his inability to gain the upper hand became more prevalent.

_And this, Zeltrax, is why fighting in anger never leads to victory._

Tommy hit Zeltrax with a series of spinning kicks and sent him flying into a statute several feet away. Seeing that his opponent would be able to fight again anytime soon, Tommy relaxed his stance a little and lowered his weapon.

"Go ahead, I dare you," Zeltrax taunted.

_No, that would put me at your level. I'm a Ranger. I never escalate a fight._

Tommy exhaled and shifted out of a fighting stance. "No, I got a message for your boss. Tell him, 'Tommy's back.' And no matter what color I am, he'll never defeat me." _Take that, you scaly freak. Tommy Oliver is back in action!_

Zeltrax disappeared into an Invisiportal and Tommy finally looked around. The other Rangers had just finished dealing with their opponent, as well. That is, until Dark clouds appeared in the sky and said monster grew several stories high.

_It's _Zord_ time_.

Right on cue, his morpher beeped.

_What the – Hayley?_

"Hayley?"

"Welcome back," his friend's relieved and joyful voice said, "I've got a little homecoming present for you. I found it on the north side of the forest."

_I think I know where this is leading._

"Meet the BrachioZord," Hayley said, "Retrieving the black Gem must have awakened him."

Tommy grinned. _I have a giant _Zord_ that could eat the others for breakfast. Okay, I'm happy now. Really, really happy._

As the Rangers exclaimed in shock and awe at the enormous BrachioZord, Hayley continued, "Wait till you see what he has inside. I think you can handle it from here."

The sides and top of the BrachioZord's body opened up and the Tyranno-, Tricera- and PteraZord burst out. As the teens joined their Zords, Tommy turned his focus on his own, reaching out with his mind.

_Dragonkin._

_Someday, I'm going to find out what that means. Hello, Brachio._

Perhaps the most surprising thing he discovered was the recognition from the BrachioZord. The BrachioZord recognized that Tommy was the one who built him.

_Well, that was unexpected. Yeah, I'm the one who built you… Were you this sentient even then? What about the other _Zord_s?_

As it turned out, all the Zords had had some degree of towards the later stages of their construction, but whether or not the others remembered him – or would even wake up – was questionable. The Tyranno-, Tricera-, and PteraZord didn't remember him, but then, they didn't remember much of anything before Conner, Ethan, and Kira bonded with them, thanks to Mesogog's interference.

_So tell me a little about yourself while the others are fighting_.

The BrachioZord wasn't a fighter Zord. It could fight, and would do so fiercely and protectively, but for the most part, it preferred to stay out of the battle.

_Heh. I can handle that. I'd say I'm fighter enough for both of us, wouldn't you_?

He received amusement and agreement in response. Hayley broke through his thoughts, saying, "Try the CephalaZord."

Tommy's morpher beeped and transformed into the head of the CephalaZord.

"Alright," he said, turning the key of his morpher, "Locking on."

He immediately felt the bright, energetic mind of the CephalaZord as it awoke.

_It's like a giant puppy._

The BrachioZord seemed to agree with him. Tommy grinned and raised his morpher to his lips, telling the other Rangers, "The CephalaZord can link up with your MegaZord for even more power."

The teens immediately added the CephalaZord to the MegaZord and their opponent was swiftly and brutally. And really, would there have been any other outcome?

"Yeah!" the teens cheered as they returned from their Zords.

_Brachio, go ahead and take the others back. I'll meet you back home_.

"That was awesome!" Ethan crowed.

"Dr. O, I can't believe you're a Ranger again," Conner agreed, "This is so cool!"

_You know what they say - once a Ranger, always a Ranger._

Tommy nodded and the four of them powered down. Tommy's breath caught in his throat as the world shifted slightly under his feet. Oh, right, the Power didn't do much for starvation and dehydration. Righting himself before his students – _teammates_ – noticed, he put every ounce of self-discipline into staying upright._ Staying upright is good. Passing out before you get home is bad. Just keeping telling yourself that, Tommy._

"Hop on with Conner, Tommy," Hayley said, "I'll bring you four back."

Was it just him, or was there something odd in her voice? Pushing the thought aside, he climbed on behind Conner and they disappeared in a mass-energy displacement only possible for those bearing the Power.

"I love my house," Tommy muttered when they got back, "No nasty creatures trying to beat me into submission or suck out my life force."

However, no one heard him over Hayley's "Oh thank goodness you're alright, Tommy!" He cracked a grin. "Of course I am, Hayley."

_Part of me wants you to recognize I'm lying, like you normally do. Another part of me wants you to let it go, because you've got enough things to worry about. Oh dear, what's that look in your eye?_

He turned to Conner, Ethan, and Kira. His eyes shone with gratitude as he said, "Guys. Thank you _so much_ for coming to get me. I can't tell you how much it means to me."

The teens blushed and muttered unintelligible replies that may or may not have been along the lines of 'it was no big deal, we couldn't just leave you there, we care about you.' Hayley said to them, "Why don't you guys head back home. You've had a long day, and I'm sure you've got plenty of homework to do."

"But we want to hear about Dr. O's-"

"Oh come on, you can't kick us out-"

"Already? But we just-"

"Guys!" Tommy raised his hands to forestall their protests. He was sure some his fatigue showed on his face. He compromised, "Stop by my class before or after school tomorrow and I'll fill you in, okay? I promise."

The teens grumbled, but upon seeing the fatigue creeping across his face, they acquiesced. After they had left, the odd quality returned to Hayley's voice. She seemed resigned?... Mournful?

"I tried to do damage control, Tommy, but he's really upset," she said.

He? What was she talking about? Someone grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled back, slamming him against the nearest wall. Suddenly, he wasn't in his basement but back in Mesogog's cell and he lashed out wildly. As he lost his fragile grip on consciousness, he heard someone call out his name and came face to face with a livid Jason Lee Scott.

"Oh shoot… Jase…" _I…_

And then there was nothing.

* * *

He was being moved. Mesogog! No… these hands were gentle.

"Tommy? Are you awake? I need you to open your eyes, bro."

Tommy peeled open his eyes. His head felt dry and cottony and his stomach was trying to eat itself. Oh, and the Power was flowing through his body, as if reacquainting itself… why?

_The Black DinoGem_.

Right. And then he remembered what he had done and been through to get the gem. Oh shoot… Jason was going to _kill_ him!

Tommy groaned and sat up. He was on a metal cot. He murmured weakly, "Hey Jase."

Jason glared and clenched his fists. Tommy realized that his best friend was very close to grabbing him by his shirt and shaking him until his head fell off. Or beating him into a pulp. One of the two.

"What. The. H***. Did YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING!"

"Jase…"

"D*****, Tommy, do you have ANY idea how horrifying it was to wake up in the middle of the night because the Green Ranger powers were active again? You know I have a connection to them!"

"Jase…"

"Didn't you _listen_ to me? You could _die_, you idiot! Do you not understand what that means? Why, in the name of all that's holy, would you try and pull something so _suicidal_?"

"Jase…"

"Did you think you would walk away unscathed? I'm pretty sure Zordon, Alpha, and I have all told you several times what would happed! And now, look at you! You're lying half-dead in your own basement!"

"Jason! Shut up! I'm not lying here because I used my Green Ranger powers! I'm lying here because I've been starved and tortured for the past three days!"

Jason froze and turned pale. There was a crash by the stairwell. Tommy turned around to see Hayley picking up a tray, her long red hair falling around her face.

"Ah crud," Tommy muttered as he pushed himself off the cot and moved over to her. He winced as the room tilted, but pushed himself forward.

_Oh Hayley. I'm so sorry to put you through this. Sometimes I wish you hadn't met me, perhaps then your life would be filled with less grief._

"Tommy… it always happens to you, doesn't it?"

_That's karma for you. Hey, hey, don't cry! I'm alive, aren't I?_

"Hayley, Hayley! I'm going to be fine, you know that."

Hayley sniffed, and replied, "You always say that and it never makes me feel any better! What happens if next time you don't make it back, huh? I can't do anything to help just sitting at a computer! I feel so useless."

"No!" Tommy responded forcefully. "Hayley, look at me. You. Are. Not. Useless. Without you, I wouldn't have any of these morphers ready. Without you, I wouldn't have this lab built. Without you, I probably would have failed grad school. Don't ever think you're useless, Hayley, you're one of the most important people I know."

Hayley choked out a sob and hugged Tommy tightly. "You're important to me, too. So please, come back alive at the end of it all."

_Thank you Hayley, for understanding. For not asking me to stop what I'm doing, because I can't. Danger has dogged my footsteps every step of the way, and I'm pretty sure it will for the rest of my life. But if means keeping other people safe, I wouldn't have it any other way._

"Oh, look at me… You're the one who needs looking after and _you're_ comforting _me_."

Jason and Hayley helped Tommy up the stairs. Jason sat him on the couch, and Hayley went into the kitchen to make soup.

"Talk," Jason said tersely.

Tommy sighed after staring his table for a few moments, he began quietly, "I was on my way to Kira's gig, when a group of Tyrannodrones landed on top of me. I tried to fight them off, but then I felt something sting me – one of them drugged me…"

Slowly, Tommy recounted the nightmare of the past three days to his best friends. Jason grew pale and his teeth clenched, while Hayley had her hands cupped around her nose and mouth trying not to cry.

By the time he had finished, there were two bowls of half-filled cooling soup, and a third empty in front of them. Jason held his head in his hands and Hayley was hugging a pillow.

Jason swore softly. "It always happens to you, doesn't it, bro?"

Tommy's eyes were dull as snippets of memory flew through his mind. He looked far older than his twenty-five years of age. He replied, "Tends to, yeah. At least the Power healed most of my injuries. I just need a good night's sleep behind me now."

Jason swore again. "How can you be so calm!"

Tommy looked up, hollow brown meeting turbulent black. "I'm tired, Jase. I already know I'm not going to get peaceful sleep for at least a week, but I am _not_ going to let this beat me. I've been worse than this more times than I can count, and I pulled through. I'm not going to change that now. I can't let the people counting on me down."

Jason looked back at Tommy, noting the fire that had returned to his eyes while he spoke. When had the shy, absentminded, slightly scruffy boy he met freshman year become this warrior with the weight of the world on his shoulders? When had the youth died away and the Ranger taken over? Or had it? Looking at his friend, who was staring at his hands, he vividly remembered a different time with a much younger green-clad Tommy in much the same position. He had changed a lot over the years, yet not at all in some ways.

Jason sighed and laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You're something else, man."

Hayley looked up from her pillow and scoffed, "As if you wouldn't have done the same, Jason. You Reds and your stunts."

Jason managed a weak grin. "He's a Black, now. Speaking of which, Kat owes me lunch, since I bet that you'd be an active Ranger again."

Tommy threw a pillow at him.

Jason ducked and Hayley gave a weak laugh, half-scolding them. Tommy shook his head and said, "Ah, man, I've got to get online soon. Adam and the others are probably ready to jump me by now…"

--

The next morning, Tommy walked down the hallway to his classroom to find Conner, Ethan, and Kira already waiting at the door. He chuckled. "You guys just couldn't wait, could you?"

"Of course not!" Conner exploded, "Dude, we just found out you were – _you know_, and now you're back in action!"

Tommy rolled his eyes. "What have I said about calling me 'dude', Conner?"

Entering the classroom, the teens promptly set down their bags at seats closest to the teacher's desk, while Tommy unpacked his briefcase. Glancing at their expectant faces, Tommy was tempted to be as slow as possible, just to tease them, but decided against it.

"Alright… where to start…"

"Why's your morpher different from ours?" Ethan asked.

"Well, two reasons, actually. The first is that I wasn't expecting the gem to activate so soon, so I didn't have enough material left to make a morpher like yours. The second reason was that the Black DinoGem energy is a lot more volatile than yours, so it needed a differently configured morpher to go with it."

"When did you make it?" Kira asked.

"Shortly after you guys became Rangers, maybe two, three weeks, I detected another energy signature spike on the Morphing Grid. Once I was sure it was a DinoGem, Hayley and I started working on this morpher. I finally pinpointed its location and was planning to head over and check it out this weekend. However, right before your gig, Kira, I found out that the energy had moved."

"So you came over to tell us and got kidnapped," Conner surmised. He then asked, "What about the BrachioZord?"

Tommy shrugged. "Anton and I worked on what, ten, eleven of them… But I never really thought about their connection to the DinoGems." _Until now. I wonder why the Brachio_Zord_ and Cephala_Zord_ woke up when I bonded with the Black DinoGem and not one of the others, like the Stego_Zord_. I liked that one._

"Eleven of them!" Ethan exclaimed, "I know you're a PhD, and all, Dr. O., but how did you make eleven of them with no one finding out? They're huge!"

Tommy chuckled. "Ethan, I worked on an island twenty miles further out than Lightspeed's Aquabase, so no one bothered us. In fact, it took Coast Guard over five hours to find out that the island was gone after the explosion."

"But didn't the Zords go down with it?" Conner asked.

"There's a safety mechanism in hardwired into them. As long as there are no humans riding the Zords, they will transport themselves out of any majorly destructive situation. That's why Mesogog found the Tyranno-, Tricera-, and PteraZords before I did. I had no idea where they transported themselves to."

Conner was about to ask another question, when the door to the classroom slammed open, revealing a blonde woman with a pink blouse and grey skirt under a white lab coat. One hand rested on her hip while the other carried a large box.

_Dana? What is she doing here? Oh shoot… Why is she giving me the Pink Ranger Glare of Doom?_

"Thomas James Oliver! WHY are you not in a hospital room right now?"

"Because I have class to teach?" Tommy ventured.

Dana glared at him steadily. Tommy felt sweat build up on his forehead._ You'd think after dating two Pink Rangers, I'd have built up some resistance to this_.

"Oh come on, Dana. I'm fine," Tommy protested as she marched over to his desk.

Kira gasped. "Oh my gosh! You're Dana Mitchell, the Pink Lightspeed Rescue Ranger!"

Dana turned to them, with a disarming smile. "Dana Grayson, actually. You must be the new Ranger team. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please excuse me, I have to scold your teacher for being an idiot."

"Dana! I'm _fine_," Tommy insisted.

Dana scoffed, "Tommy, after dealing with Carter, Joel, and Ryan, I know for a fact that you boys will say you're fine even if you're missing three limbs and spilling your intestines on the floor.

"But-" _I'm going to shut up now._

"Conner, Ethan, _never_ anger a Pink Ranger. It's bad for your health," Tommy said as Dana unpacked her medical kit. Dana hit him lightly on the back of his head.

"Hey! You're making me lose brain cells!"

"At this point, I'm not sure if you have any. You're worse than Carter, and I didn't think that was possible! Now, Jason said you'd been drugged? Show me the injection site."

That seemed to knock the teens out of their awe-induced stupor.

"You were drugged?!"

Tommy rolled up his sleeve and showed them a greenish-blue mark above his elbow. "Yeah, that's why I wasn't able to fight the Tyrannodrones off. I didn't think Jason would call you. Mariner Bay is pretty far off something as small as this."

"Dr. O, you were _drugged_ and held captive for _three days_," Kira protested, "I know you've been a Power Ranger for a long time and all, but that's still not a small thing!"

Tommy looked somewhat mollified. Dana smiled at Kira. "Thank you! Someone with sense on this team. I'm in town to give a lecture to some pre-Med students, and Jason asked me to stop by. Kira, right? Keep an eye on him, would you? And him," she said pointing at Conner, "He's a Red. Reds pull stupid stunts."

"We do not!" Tommy and Conner protested.

Dana prepared an injection and gave Tommy a look. "Serpenterra. Onyx. The Marevus dig."

The teens looked between their teacher and Dana, hungry for information. Dana chuckled and said, "Go on, Tommy. Feed them some blackmail material. Oh, don't give me that look. You're teenagers. You're either too in awe of us to form coherent sentences, or you're plotting the best way to blackmail us."

Kira and Ethan exchanged looks and then shrugged. "It's true," they said. Conner was still in the awe stage.

Tommy decided to go with the Serpenterra mission. He explained to them how he and several other Red Rangers had gone to the moon to stop the resurrection of the Machine Empire, and somewhere along the line (probably from him recounting them stealing Carter's jacket on the way home), the topic switched to Carter chasing Joel around the Aquabase for doing the same thing.

"I'm surprised you remember that," Dana said as she started to pack up. She had run a few basic tests for heart rate, blood pressure and the like while he talked. "You only saw them for a few seconds as they ran past the med bay."

"Yeah, I didn't remember either until I started halluci-" _Oh shoot. Wasn't supposed to say that._

All five people in the room froze. Surprisingly, it was Conner who spoke first. "You were hallucinating, Dr. O?"

Tommy looked away uneasily. Dana nearly snarled, "Answer the question, Oliver."

Tommy sighed heavily. _So much for not worrying the kids. Alright, how do I make this as G-rated as possible? Oh forget that, I'm lucky if I can tone it down to PG-13._

"Yes, I was hallucinating. At some point during my captivity, Mesogog pumped a blue gas into my cell – it smelled of bananas. No, Dana, I didn't have any reaction to it. Didn't even know what it was until I saw Kimberly standing in my cell."

Dana massaged her forehead. "If I ask you why you didn't tell me this earlier, you're going to say something along the lines of not wanting to worry us, aren't you?"

_Do you really need an answer to that?_

"Anything else I should be concerned about?"

_Electrocution, bruises, broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, several cuts, mind-raping, starvation, dehydration… nope, nothing to be concerned about, Dana._

"The Power healed everything else, and I didn't eat or drink anything there, so, no."

Dana ran a critical eye over him.

"Alright, I'm going to trust you on that, against my better judgment. I'm going to give you a nutritional booster shot for the starvation/dehydration. Do you have soup?"

Tommy nodded, replying, "Lots of it."

"Good. Now let me see your arm."

As Dana gave him an injection, Tommy looked back at his teens. They were wide-eyed with horror, concern, and a sinking realization of exactly how _evil_ Mesogog was. He could see the last vestiges of their innocence fading fast.

_And this would be why I kept my mouth shut._

After Dana left, giving her number to Kira and instructing her to call if anything happened to Tommy, the three teens approached his desk with somber expressions on their faces.

"Dr. O, why didn't you tell us? Why did you keep fighting?"

"You could have gotten hurt!"

_Gotten hurt? There was a lot more at stake than just that, Ethan._

"Not just that, you could have died!"

"Guys, guys! I've been fighting since freshman year. I know my limits," Tommy replied. _But that's not the problem, is it?_

"That's not the problem, Dr. O," Conner replied, "The problem is you trying to shield us. You can't protect us from Mesogog's evil forever."

_Funny, that's what Jase said as well. Maybe it's a Red thing._

"I can try," Tommy replied quietly, not quite sure if he wanted his students to hear.

"That's not your call to make," Kira replied firmly.

"Dr. O, we're Rangers now, too," Ethan said, "You can count on us."

Tommy smiled sadly. So he could. They had proven time and again that they were ready to handle whatever Mesogog threw at them… but that didn't mean he had to be happy about it.

"Except if you need Conner to swim," Ethan snickered, breaking the somber atmosphere.

"Dude, shut up!"

Tommy laughed. "It must be genetic. Your brother had a pretty strong reaction to the Power of Water."

Conner turned to him, shocked. "You know Eric?"

Tommy nodded and leaned back to tell another story.

"I was on my way back from picking up some supplies for the morphers and the some of the stuff I have around my house. I ended up crashing the middle of his transfer ceremony. The Wind Ninjas had just realized that Eric's reaction to the Power of Water during Elemental Testing was because he had an aversion to it, not a connection, so they were sending him over to the Thunder Academy. I thought he was you, actually."

Conner looked at him quizzically. "But you didn't meet me until this school year."

"Not officially, no. But earlier in the summer you nearly made me hit a tree because you ran across the street chasing your soccer ball."

Conner grinned sheepishly and muttered an apology.

"Hey Dr. O," Ethan wondered, "The Ninja Academies are, like, super secret, right? So when you say you crashed into their ceremony…"

Tommy's face lit up with a grin. _Oh I can't wait to see what you think of this!_

"I was coming back from Onyx, the galaxy's trading hotspot. It's a planet about three solar systems over. I needed to get some metal from an Eltaran I know for the bracelets."

Three jaws hit the floor.

"A trade _planet?_"

"Dude, you mean our morphers are made with alien tech?"

"Are you serious, Dr. O?"

Tommy laughed at their gobsmacked expressions. "The metal definitely isn't from Earth, though the technology itself is. We don't have anything that connects so well to the Universal Morphing Grid. I ran into a little trouble with a cartel on my way back, and my ship, one I borrowed from a friend actually, went down a little ways away from where they held the transfer ceremony. They helped me beat off the goons, and Sensei Kanoi allowed me to stay at the Wind Ninja Academy for a few days before I came back home."

"Wow…"

"Dude…"

Tommy chuckled at the memory and said to his students, "You've got about ten, twenty minutes before the rest of the students come in. And you have a unit test today. Go study. And Conner, stop calling me dude."

"Aw man…"

"Oh, come on, Dr. O, can't we blame it on Mesogog and push it off a day?"

"Hey, I fought all four years of high school and I still kept a 4.0 GPA," Tommy retorted. _That's probably why I was able to do so well in college, though. Good study skills._

He grinned and settled down to look over his lesson plans as the three teens grumbled and opened their textbooks. Today was going to be a good day.

* * *

A/N: Whew. That was _long_. Let's see, is there anything I need to address...

Oh, Kim called Tommy when he didn't show up at the airport, and then called Hayley. The two of them went into a mild panic, but couldn't do anything because of the 48-hour missing person rule, and they didn't want to worry the other Rangers unnecessarily. Jason called Tommy in the middle of the night when he felt the Green Ranger powers activate, but obviously got no response. Kat managed to calm Jason down and got him to contact Kim and Hayley. Several phone calls were exchanged, until Tommy called Hayley, at which point they decided that Kat could look after Michele so that Jason could go down to Reefside and help Hayley. He kept an eye on the café while she worked on the firewalls, and went with her to Tommy's house. Much to Hayley's annoyance, she spent almost as much time placating Jason as she did searching for Tommy.

Eric McKnight - For some reason, I just fell in love with the idea of Conner's brother being a ninja. Expect him to crop up every once in a while.

Also, while I was writing this, this fic decided to merge with a fic I have planned for later (much later), so I need to go back and edit a few things in the second chapter. Namely, Princess Shayla will be asleep, and Aisha will still be alive, but relatively unreachable in the heart of Africa. They're just small edits, so for those of you who have this fic alerted, you don't need to re-read the entire chapter.

Anyway, I'll stop waffling on. If you have any questions/comments/concerns, let me know. Please leave a review!


	6. Interlude: Old Friends

A/N: A comparatively shorter chapter for you this time. Of course, it was supposed to be a two-page backstory on why Tommy so readily believed that Kira knew Kylee Styles (apart from the fact that he's a nice guy) in Diva in Distress. It evolved into something completely different. The actual Diva in Distress chapter will be next, but probably won't be posted for a while yet. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Thank you so much to everyone who read/reviewed/alerted/favorited this story!

* * *

**Interlude - Old Friends:  
**

Tommy was fully healed within the week, though his sleep was hard won, just as he predicted. However, with a healthy – well, probably unhealthy, really – helping of coffee in the morning, he made sure his classes weren't affected by his problems. Conner, Ethan, and Kira had taken to visiting him before school and stopping by on their way to lunch, which led to other students dropping by for homework help and a quick hello as well.

"Now, what you have to remember, Matt, is that photosynthesis uses the carbon dioxide we breathe out, and releases the oxygen we breathe in – a give and take system," Tommy explained to one of the students who had stayed after for his help.

Matt nodded and scribbled in his notebook. Gathering his belongings, he replied, "Thanks so much, Dr. Oliver! I'll see you in class tomorrow."

Tommy bid his student farewell just as another one walked in.

"Kira! What can I do for you?"

Kira set her bag on a table, and asked, "Hey Dr. O, can I chill in here for a bit? My older cousin and his wife are picking me up, and they won't be here for a few minutes. I didn't really want to wait outside with the rest of the low-aspiring troglodytes that make up our school."

Tommy chuckled at her vitriol. "Bad day? Yeah, go ahead. I'll be here for at least another half-hour."

"Thanks, Dr. O."

They sat in a companionable silence for a while, with Kira occasionally humming strains of the song she was currently working on. Just as Tommy was packing up, Kira's phone buzzed.

"Oh! They're here!"

"Great," Tommy replied, "I'll walk you out."

Kira chuckled. "Dr. O, it's just school. I'll be fine. You worry too much."

_Seeing as you've been captured on campus before, I think I have every right to be worried._

Tommy simply gave her a look. Kira grinned and continued, "Whoever said that chivalry is dead had obviously never met you."

Tommy laughed. "More like, they've never been to Angel Grove. That's where I learned most of my manners. You should meet Jason – he's the epitome of a knight in shining armor." _When he's not trying to kill you, that is._

"Angel Grove, huh? Well, it has the word 'angel' in it… is something wrong, Dr. O?"

Tommy had stopped short at the entrance of the school. He pointed to a couple a few feet away, a tall brunet and an Asian woman who were looking at him intently.

"Hey, that's my cousin and his wife. Justin! Tina! Over here!"

_It is a small, small world._

The couple came over to them. Justin's eyes lit up in recognition as they got closer.

"Well I'll be," he exclaimed, "If it isn't Tommy Oliver! Man, it's been ages!"

Tina gasped. "It is! I didn't recognize you without all your hair!"

Kira looked between her relatives and her teacher. "You guys know each other?"

Tommy shook Justin's hand and replied, "We went to Angel Grove High together."

Kira compared her straight-laced, mild-mannered science teacher with her wild-natured cousins, who were decked out in leather, hidden tattoos, and jewelry in disbelief.

"No way!"

The men chuckled, while Tina sighed dramatically. "It's hard to believe, I know. It just breaks my heart that we couldn't save you from Angel Grove's corruption, Tommy."

Tommy laughed, while Kira asked, "Angel Grove's corruption?"

Justin nodded seriously, though his eyes sparkled with mirth. "Oh yes. See, back when we first met Tommy, he had a bit of a wild side. Granted, he was still one of the angel children that every parent wanted to own, but he had the whole 'bad boy' air going for him… but now look at him! He doesn't even have his earrings in! It is truly tragic."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Justin, I'm a teacher. It's against school code for me to wear earrings. Now stop tarnishing my student's image of me." _Seriously, stop looking at me like that, Kira_.

Justin and Tina grinned wickedly, and Tommy felt a pinprick of unease. Tina asked sweetly, "Are you free tonight? We should really catch up over dinner. That is, if Kira's okay with it. She's staying with us while her parents are out of town."

Kira shrugged. "I'm fine."

"Then it's settled!" Tina declared happily, "Come by around seven, Tommy."

Tommy opened his mouth to protest, but then shook his head. He wasn't as close to Justin and Tina as he was to, say, Jason and Kat, but he knew them well enough to know that when Tina got an idea in her head it was impossible to dislodge it.

"Sure," he acquiesced, "Just give me your address and I'll see you then."

That evening, Tommy dressed in black jeans and a black tank top under a loose grey shirt. After a few moments of deliberation, he put on his silver hoop earrings as well. He activated his home's security defenses and grabbed a box of chocolates, heading out to the Ford home.

As he drove down, he reminisced about the day he met Justin Ford and Tina Lin. It had been the five of them: Justin, Tina, Brad, Kelly, and Zane, all new in town and ready to fight anyone who crossed their path. The darkness they projected hid a wealth of insecurities, making them perfect fodder for Lord Zedd's machinations. It was exactly what had happened to him under Rita Repulsa. That, as he later explained to Jason, was why he was so eager to help them. Even though the five Dark Rangers had lost their memories of Lord Zedd, they formed a good friendship with Zordon's Rangers. They still kept in touch, exchanging Christmas cards and e-mails here and there.

_I wonder how they're doing. The last I heard from any of them was from Zane in May, saying he was going overseas._

Tommy parked in Justin and Tina's driveway, idly wondering what Kira would say to his attire. She'd never seen him in casual clothes. He knocked on the door, a mischievous smile playing about his lips.

Kira opened the door, greeting, "Hey, Dr. Ol…iv…er…"

Tommy grinned as Kira took in his outfit and lost her train of thought.

"Hey, Kira."

"Umm…"

_This is priceless. I wish I had a camera, I really do. Come on, Kira, did you honestly think I wore a shirt and tie twenty-four-seven? I'm only a few years older than you._

"Who is it, Kira?" a feminine voice asked.

Tina came up behind Kira, her eyes lighting up when she saw Tommy.

"Tommy! You're on time! Come in, come in."

Tommy laughed bashfully as he entered the house, a delicious aroma reaching his nose. "I'd say I grew out of my forgetfulness, but then I get a call from the Cyberspace saying that I left my briefcase behind. Mmm… What smells so good?"

Tina laughed, replying, "Justin's making chicken parmesan, since I'd blow up the kitchen trying to boil water."

Tommy chuckled at that. _Yeah, your exploits in Home Ec. are legendary._

"It's true," Kira piped up, "We even had to call the Fire Department one time."

Tina gave her cousin a mock scowl, while Tommy laughed. Eyes twinkling with mischief, he asked, "Did she ever tell you about the day she had to bake a cake for Home Ec. junior year?"

Kira turned to Tina, who shrieked in outrage, "Don't you dare, Tommy Oliver!"

Tommy's face broke into a wide grin just as Justin entered from the kitchen. The men clasped hands amicably as Justin teased, "Oi, Oliver, are you harassing my wife?"

Tommy laughed. "Me? Harass a lady? You've got the wrong guy. I was just _reminding_ Tina of that day in junior when she had to bake a cake."

Justin's eyes widened in recognition and he guffawed. Tina glared at her husband while Tommy ribbed gently, "Come on, Tina, you got us sent home for a week! Not even Rita and Zedd managed that."

"Yes, well," Tina huffed, "I doubt the Power Rangers would concern themselves over an exploding high school oven."

"Or three," Justin added.

_I don't know about that. Tanya was in your class, wasn't she?_

"What happened?" Kira asked.

Tommy and Justin looked at each other for a moment, before dissolving back into laughter. Tina scowled at them, retorting, "You both get a Fail Sticker."

_A Fail Sticker? She still has those?_

Back at Angel Grove High, Tommy and his friends discovered that Tina had an odd quirk of handing out 'Fail Stickers' to people whom she thought did stupid things (Rocky and Zack ended up with quite a few). The Fail Stickers were indeed stickers, with the word 'FAIL' on them in various sizes, fonts, and patterns.

Tommy shook his head in mirth and held out the box of chocolate. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry. Please accept this box of chocolate as restitution, my fair lady."

Kira stifled a giggle at her teacher's antics and Tina's lips twitched.

"You are _such_ a charmer, Tommy," Tina replied, taking the gift.

Justin's eyebrows rose when he saw the brand. "Drexion's Dark?"

Tommy faltered for a second. _I'd say let my memory be right, but we all know how that goes._

"Yeah. That was your favorite, right?"

Justin blinked. Tina burst out laughing, saying to Tommy, "You are something else, Tommy. How does Mr. Swiss-Cheese-Memory manage to remember our favorite type of chocolate from seven years ago and get a box of it in less than four hours?"

Tommy grinned mischievously. "Angel Grove trade secret, I'm afraid."

_I may or may not have offered to help Hayley close up for the next month in exchange for it._

Justin and Tina shook their heads. Justin returned to the kitchen to finish cooking, while Tina dragged Kira and Tommy to the table.

"So what's been going on with you, Tommy? We haven't actually seen each other for so many years. When did you lose the hair and get the glasses?"

Tommy's eyes darkened a little, a dull flash of grief passing through him. He replied, "Ah… I've always needed reading glasses, actually, I just chose to start wearing them recently. Looks more professional, and all that. I got my hair cut sometime 2001."

He'd done it for David. After David died, all his personal effects had been given to Tommy, including things like his earrings and the black leather cord he used to tie back his hair. It had been too hard to even look in the mirror sometimes back then, almost seeing his brother looking back at him. So, in a fit of grief, he cut his hair and started wearing his glasses more often.

_David… I still miss you. Battling Mesogog just exacerbated the feeling._

Tina, sensing the shadows in Tommy's thought, wisely changed the topic of discussion.

"So how did you become a teacher, of all things? We all thought you were going to be a racecar driver, or maybe a martial artist."

Kira turned to her teacher in shock. "A racecar driver?"

_Oh, the good old days…_

Tommy chuckled bashfully. "Yeah. After I graduated high school, I worked on my Uncle's racetrack. It was just for a semester, though. I enrolled at Angel Grove University right after that, and eventually got my PhD in Paleontology."

It was Tina's turn to be shocked. "A PhD? In Paleontology? Wow! For real?"

_Why is everyone always so surprised? I mean, I only raced because of the Turbo Powers, and I was no slouch when it came to school, either!_

Tommy nodded. "Since March 2004, I've been Dr. Thomas Oliver."

"That's great, Tommy! Do you keep in touch with the others? I know Kim went on to become Coach for the US Gymnastics Team, and I think I saw Jason on the news a few days ago... something about the UN?"

"Yeah, let's see... Kim's US Gymnastics Coach, Jason works for the UN, I teach high school science, Adam runs his own dojo in Angel Grove, Rocky actually became Tanya's Head of Security after they got married. Kat runs a ballet Academy in Angel Grove..."

"What about Billy, Trini, Zack, and Aisha?"

Tommy froze for an instant. Tina remembered Aisha?

_That's... That's impossible. Only the Rangers remembered Aisha after the Zeo Quest. Zordon said it was because we'd been touched by the Power... Of course! The Dark Rangers! Could Tina's stint as the Dark Yellow Ranger have allowed her to remember Aisha? But she was a Dark Ranger before Aisha came along..._

As his thoughts raced, Tommy replied, "Billy's still out of the country - he fell in love with a girl over in Austria. Aisha's with her family in Africa. Trini and Zack… passed away a few years ago."

Tina's mouth formed a soft 'o' and she winced. Her eyes teared up a little as she remembered the good times they'd had.

"Oh... I'm so sorry..."

Tommy shook his head. "Don't worry about it. So, what have you guys been up to?"

Justin brought in the food, saying, "Well, Tina and I run a bar downtown, called the Dark Ranger."

Tommy seemed to choke on air, but Justin continued, oblivious, "Brad's working with Stuart now at a computer security firm in LA. Zane's overseas with the Army - a bomb expert, if you can believe it. Kelly runs a small sporting goods store out in Blue Bay Harbor."

"Wow! That's pretty impressive," Tommy said. _Please let the name of your bar be a freak coincidence. Oh wait, I don't believe in coincidences..._

Justin smiled at Tommy, an odd emotion glittering in his eyes.

_Is that... gratitude? For what?_

Tina replied softly, "It's really thanks to you and your friends. If you hadn't reached out to us when we came and helped us over the years, I don't know where we'd be. Oh, did you know Bulk and Skull opened up a cafe outside Angel Grove?"

Tommy nodded and took a bite of his food. After he swallowed, he replied, "Yeah, outside the Hilton. I stayed there for a few days when I worked with Anton Mercer. This is really good, by the way."

"Thanks, man. Glad you enjoy it. You worked with Anton Mercer? Were you there when that one island blew up?"

_I was the one who blew up 'that one island', Justin._

Tommy shook his head, replying wryly, "I got off before the explosion. Took most of my work for my PhD with it, though."

_Not totally a lie. The island only exploded a few seconds after I jumped off._

"I always figured it would be Billy who got the PhD," Tina remarked.

"Oh, trust me. Billy was halfway to his Bachelor's by the time us normal people got out high school diplomas." _Well, the Aquitian equivalent, anyway._

At this point, Kira snorted quietly. When three heads turned to her, she explained mischievously, "I don't think any of you count as normal."

_Oh, Kira. You wound me so._

Justin made a face at his cousin, retorting, "Normalcy is overrated."

"Amen," the other three replied.

_But then again, isn't that what I fight for as a Ranger? The opportunity for others to have a normal life... I used to want that for myself, but now I can't imagine not being a Ranger._

There was a lull in the conversation as everyone focused on eating. After a few minutes, Justin said, "Hey, Kira - as your temporary guardian, I have to ask: how's school?"

Kira groaned. "Justin! My teacher's right here!"

"I seem to have gone mysteriously deaf," Tommy said, "My cochlea probably just collapsed."

Justin scoffed, "If your cochlea collapsed, you'd be writhing on the floor in agony with fluids leaking out your ear and a nosebleed."

Tommy looked at him, incredulous. "How do you know this?"

"Boys, shut up and let Kira talk," Tina interrupted.

Kira laughed a little. "School's okay, I guess. I mean, it's senior year, so everyone's all hyped up about college and passing classes. No one's really changed, though... Cassidy's still snooping around school, looking for her next big scoop..."

"You got a new principal this year, right? Derek was saying something about her a while back. What's she like?"

Tommy coughed and Kira grimaced. They both returned a jumbled mess of euphemisms and unflattering mutterings. Tina raised an eyebrow.

"She's a little... eccentric... I remember, during one of our staff meetings, she suggested we use medieval torture methods like the rack in detention. The scary part was that we couldn't tell if she was being serious or not."

The Fords stared at Tommy.

_Yeah, that's the expression we all had on our faces, too. I really want to know who certified her for a degree in education._

"She gave Brett and Lisa detention for a week for PDA when Brett stopped Lisa from tripping down the stairs. That was so _not_ PDA! And she gave me detention on the first day of school for playing on campus without written permission!"

Tommy and Kira shared a look as Justin and Tina laughed. Kira said, "Though, I guess that first detention worked out alright. Dr. O took us out to a museum. Saw some shiny rocks and dinosaur stuff."

Tommy smirked, but there was a warning in his eyes. _Careful, Kira. Inside jokes are fine, but don't get too carried away._

"Oh! Wait, that was _you_ Alicia was talking about?"

Tommy turned to Justin in confusion. "Alicia?"

"Kira's mom, my sister-in-law. She went on and on about 'the sweetest young man who brought Kira home from school because it was his first day and he was worried about getting Kira back safely.'"

A blush started creeping up Tommy's neck. _Oh jeez... I'm going to crawl under a rock and die._

"Oh yeah," Tina continued wickedly, "She was saying that if Kira was just a few years older, it would be a perfect match, since nice, good-looking young men like that didn't come around very often."

Tommy groaned, his face now a bright red. Kira flushed a little, saying, "Who'd have thought my own mother would be part of the Tommy Oliver Fan-club?"

"The _what_ now?" Justin asked.

"The Tommy Oliver Fan-club. It's pretty popular among the female population at Reefside High. The girl who sits next to me in English is apparently a member."

Tommy groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding." _Where is that rock when I need it? I'm going to die of embarrassment. I bet my face is the color of my old Ranger suit._

Justin and Tina were too busy laughing to answer.

Suddenly, a series of beeps cut through their conversation. Kira froze, panic on her face. Tommy shook his head discretely, and rummaged to through his pockets, pulling out his phone.

"Sorry, I really have to take this call," he apologized.

Justin and Tina waved him off, and with a motion born from years of practice, Tommy answered his communicator while making it look he answered his phone.

"Dr. Oliver."

Ethan's voice came over, saying, "Dr. O, Elsa and Zeltrax showed up at the city center with a ray gun and a bazillion Tyrannodrones. Conner and I are going to need back up. Badly!"

Tommy cursed inwardly.

"Who do you need more? Only one of us can be spared."

"Seriously? Crapcrapcrapcrap!" Ethan sounded very much like was in the middle of a battle.

Conner's voice came on, saying, "Can you come down, then? You know how to handle Elsa and Zeltrax best. Yo, Blue, get the ladies out of here!"

"I can do that. Hang on for about a minute."

"We'll try."

_Right. Time to bail out._

Going back into the dining room, Tommy said apologetically, "I really hate to do this, but I need to go."

Justin looked curious, but Tina replied, "Don't worry about it, Tommy. The food'll still be here when you get back."

Tommy nodded distractedly, not commenting on the fact that Tina and Justin expected him back.

_What kind of ray gun could Elsa and Zeltrax have that wouldn't show up on my scanners? The energy output of the core isn't something that can be masked without revealing that something IS being masked._

Tommy arrived on the battlefield to see Conner and Ethan fly back into a wall, courtesy of Zeltrax.

_Ouch. That's going to bruise._

"DinoThunder! Power Up! Hey Zeltrax, Elsa, mind if I join the fun?"

Tommy gave a feral grin behind inside his helmet when he saw them hesitate, clearly remembering their brutal defeat at his hands the last time they'd met.

_Bring it._

Zeltrax charged at him with a roar, swinging his sword in a strike Tommy easily blocked. Tommy pushed aside the sword and ducked, avoiding Elsa's attack. He lashed out with a kick at Elsa and he heard Ethan ask if he would be alright.

_I'll be fine, kid. You worry about that ray gun and the Tyrannodrones._

Conner replied, "He'll be fine. Let's worry about the ray gun and the goon patrol."

Tommy couldn't help but smile as Conner reiterated his thoughts. _Nice, Conner. You're starting to think like a good leader, knowing your teammates' strengths, and planning accordingly. You'll be great yet._

Tommy grunted as Elsa landed a solid blow to his midsection, forcing him back onto Zeltrax. The cyborg grabbed his arms, holding him in place while Elsa prepared to attack again. Tommy struggled, forcefully reminded of being captured by Tyrannodrones earlier.

_Well, this is bad._

It was a good thing Tommy had so much practice falling from his years of martial arts training, or this would have never worked. He relaxed in Zeltrax's hold for a moment, before pitching his weight forward, forcing them both to fall down. It was a good thing, too, and the surge of energy and his teammate's sharp cries made him realize that Zeltrax hadn't been holding him in place for Elsa, but for the ray gun.

Breaking free of Zeltrax's grip, Tommy kicked the cyborg away and rammed his Brachio Staff into Elsa's gut – she'd come up behind Zeltrax to help him – in one smooth motion. Blood pumping, he pulled himself up and scanned the area. Conner and Ethan were still trying to get the Tyrannodrones away from the ray gun.

_Hmm... we're going to have to get some training in. Hang on - are those BABIES?_

Sure enough, there were babies and small children peeking out of the nearby alleyways.

_The ray gun... It's a de-ager!_

Tommy turned to Zeltrax and Elsa, saying, "It wouldn't have worked, you know. I was just as much of a nuisance as a kid as I am now."

Elsa hissed and prepared to fight again. "We shall see, Dr. Oliver."

Tommy cursed inwardly. _We really need Kira here. I can keep Elsa and Zeltrax busy, but Conner and Ethan need to tip the balance over the Tyrannodrones._

As if on cue, a sharp scream rang out through the area. A girl in a plaid yellow shirt with a black vest over jeans smirked, and asked, "Need a little help?"

_We're going to have a talk about exposing your identity to the public later, kid._

"Alright! You made it!"

The girl called out, "DinoThunder! Power Up! Ha!" and Kira morphed into the Yellow DinoThunder Ranger.

_Please don't get hurt, Kira. Otherwise, Justin and Tina will do Mesogog's job for him and kill me. Wait. What are you DOING here? Do Justin and Tina know?_

"No!" Zeltrax cried, breaking away from his fight to stop the Yellow Ranger.

Or, he would have, if Tommy hadn't shot his foot out and brought him to the ground. Grabbing Elsa's wrist and slamming her into the nearest tree, he snarled, "Your battle is with me."

Zeltrax and Elsa leaped at him in a joint attack. Tommy ducked, wincing as Zeltrax's sword glanced off his helmet. Elsa followed through with another hard punch to his midsection.

_They really want to save that ray gun, huh?_

Battling his nausea and disorientation, Tommy jumped back into the fight, punching and kicking. It reminded him of when he fought against Mesogog's two henchmen to protect the Raptor Rider eggs. Apparently, Elsa and Zeltrax had studied his style a little. This battle was much more interesting than the previous one.

About a minute later, Tommy was starting to feel the strain of fighting two enemies at once when he heard the cry of 'Z-Rex Blaster!', followed by an enormous BOOM. Tommy demorphed and smirked at the devastated villains. An Invisiportal opened up above them and Tommy could practically feel Mesogog's ire radiating through it.

"Say hi to Mesofreak for me," he scoffed as they were sucked up.

Tommy turned back to his students, who had now joined him away from the public's eye. They demorphed, and Tommy nodded to them.

"Good job, guys."

Kira looked a little uncomfortable, but Ethan and Conner made up for it with their enthusiasm and their cheering.

"Man, those Tyrannodrones were _tough_," Ethan said, "It's a good thing you showed up, Kira."

Tommy shook his head. "We should get you three some martial arts training to hone your skills. Oh, don't look at me like that. A few hours a week won't kill you, and I'm not going to pull you out of anything important."

_You forget, I'm not that far out of school. Being a senior and Ranger was tough, I know._

Tommy glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. You should head home for dinner."

"Yeah, my mom thinks I'm just in my room playing video games. I'd better get back before she decides to actually check my room."

After Ethan left, Tommy turned to Conner. The red-clad teen shrugged, replying, "I was just wandering around. My parents don't expect me back until nine-ish."

_Uh-oh, I know that look. Family troubles, McKnight?_

Tommy's brow furrowed. "Have you eaten?"

"I'll be fine."

Conner's stomach growled and Tommy raised an eyebrow. Conner's slight flush indicated that Conner didn't have any money on him, either. Tommy shook his head and searched through his pockets, inwardly cursing his absentmindedness.

"Here," he said, finally pulling a five-dollar-bill from his wallet, "There's a McDonald's down the street. Go buy yourself dinner."

"What!? Dr. O, I can't-"

Tommy cut off Conner's protest, "Conner, this is not up for discussion. Food. Now. You can pay me back later."

Conner blinked at the money and looked back at his teacher, opening his mouth to protest.

"Or, I can drive you back home for dinner right now."

Conner's mouth shut. After a brief internal struggle, he muttered, "I'm going to buy food now. I'll see you in school, Dr. O."

_Note to self: Make sure Conner's actually home by nine._

Tommy turned to Kira, asking, "So, do Justin and Tina know?"

"Kira nodded. "I'm sorry, Dr. O! I swear, I don't know how they found out!"

_I think I might…_

"Don't worry about it, Kira. I have a feeling they've known for a long time. Let's head back. I want more of Justin's food."

Kira simply laughed. As they drove back, she asked, "Hey, Dr. O? How long did you and my cousins go to school together?"

"We were in the same graduating class. They transferred to AGH early sophomore year."

"Seriously? But that means you're the same age as them!"

Tommy smirked. "25 as of June 6th."

"But then you're just 7 years older than me, Ethan, and Conner," Kira said faintly, "I think my brain just short-circuited."

_Way to make me feel old, Kira._

"How old did you think I was?" Tommy asked playfully.

"I don't know… Older, I guess. I mean, you have a PhD, you're our teacher, and you've been a Power Ranger since forever."

Tommy chuckled and parked his jeep. Stepping out, he said, "Not forever, Kira. Just since freshman year."

"And that was how long ago?" Kira teased as Tommy held the door open for her.

The moment Kira and Tommy entered the Ford home, Kira was tackle-hugged by Tina.

"Kira! You're back! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Tina, I promise."

Tommy stood awkwardly, still tense and ready to bolt. He really hoped Justin and Tina wouldn't be too angry.

_Please don't kill me, please don't kill me… I swear by every deity in existence that if I could have avoided bringing Kira into this mess, I would have._

Tina then turned and did something that surprised Tommy no end: she tackled him in a hug as well.

"And you! Are you alright? Why are you still doing this after eleven years?"

"What… How… Wait, you remember?"

Tina nodded, and Kira noticed the sudden appearance of shadows in the adults' eyes. Justin replied, "We thought it was dream, but when all five of us had the same dream, we realized what had happened."

_I don't believe it… They've always known…_

"And you never told anyone," Tommy remarked in wonder.

Tina squeezed Tommy's arm gently, saying, "We owe you too much."

Tommy blinked in shock. "Y-you don't owe me anything…"

Justin shook his head, laughing softly. "So you say. Come on, the food's still warm."

As they sat down to eat, Kira asked, "How did you guys know Dr. O and I were Rangers?"

"The beeping," Tina replied, "And the panic on your face. Tommy being a Ranger was an educated guess, since he'd been a Ranger all through high school. And he used to wear his Ranger colors, so it wasn't that much of a jump to say he was the Black Ranger."

Justin continued, "You were pretty antsy after Tommy left, and you were pretty close to Tommy, so we figured you were close to the Rangers, too. And, you kept fiddling with your bracelet, which matched your clothes – voila, Yellow Ranger."

Tommy pushed around the food on his plate, contemplating the obvious pink elephant in the room. Justin noticed, and assured, "We're not going to tell anyone. We're not going to ask you who your teammates are, or how you got your powers. Just know, that if you need anything that being a Ranger doesn't cover for, like a place to crash, or a cover story, we'll offer any help we can."

Kira looked relieved and surprised, while Tommy's eyes shone with gratitude.

_I get the feeling they helped us more in high school than we ever realized._

"How did you two find out about Dr. O being a Ranger back in high school?"

Tina and Justin looked at Tommy, who shrugged. "Kira knows the gist of my Ranger history. It's your choice if you want to share."

Justin and Tina looked at each other, holding a silent conversation with their eyes. Justin nodded, and began to speak.

"What you have to understand, Kira, is that when we transferred over to AGH, we were… well, we were complete jerks. We pretty much made a nuisance of ourselves, bullying the other students left and right. Lord Zedd, the main villain at the time, watched us and decided we'd be perfect as his Dark Rangers."

Kira sat up, asking, "That's the name of your bar, isn't it?"

Tina smiled softly. "Yeah, that's right. Zedd was planning on using us to fight the Rangers and wreak havoc on a more personal level. The Red, Blue, Black, Yellow, and Pink Rangers came to save us, but Zedd trapped them in a forcefield. The only one left was Tommy. He came in, defeated all five of us in battle, and broke the spell Zedd put over us… Lost his powers in the process."

_Not completely, mind you. Besides, everything worked out alright in the end, didn't it?_

"Our memories were erased," Justin continued, "But having touched the Power, we didn't take too well to that. Our memories returned in our dreams. We remembered what we'd done… and what Tommy and the other Rangers had done for us."

"After that, diverting the teachers' attention and keeping them out of trouble as best as we could was the least we could do," Tina finished.

_Helping us through high school was more than enough, Tina. But then, I know the feeling… that nagging doubt at the back of your mind that you'll never be able to atone enough, never be able to repay the others' kindness enough. I'm sorry that you had to experience it._

* * *

"I'm going to go upstairs and work on my songs," Kira announced after the meal was over.

"Sure, Kira," Tina replied, "Just make sure your homework's done and you're in bed by eleven, alright?"

Kira grimaced. "Yes, Tina. Jeez, I'm not twelve!"

"Your curfew was eleven at night when you were twelve?" Tommy asked in amusement.

"Alicia and Derek are relatively laid-back," Justin explained as his cousin shrugged. "Tommy, leave it. I'll do the dishes tomorrow."

"You sure?" Tommy asked, his hands poised to rinse his plate.

Tina shook her head. "Oh, Tommy… You're a guest. Now come on, we've got catching up to do while Kira's off doing her own thing."

Tina linked her arms with the two men and dragged them to the living room. Tommy simply chuckled and let her lead him away. They chatted amiably about a lot of things, from how well the bar was running, to Tommy's luck with teenagers, to the others' careers.

"Brad's really working in computer security?" Tommy asked. "As I recall, he preferred hacking. Kaplan had him in detention how many times for trying to get at the school records, now?"

Justin laughed. "Oh, the memories. Well, who better to test security systems that the one who tries to break them, right?"

"I figured you'd have been more surprised about Kelly," Tina said, "Given that she and Kim were the Valley Girls of AGH."

"Oh yeah! Wow, she and Kim were a right pair, weren't they?"

_The horror of taking them shopping…_

Tommy glanced up at the ceiling, from beyond which harmonious guitar chords and rich alto voice emanated.

"Kira's really good," he commented.

"No lie," Justin replied, "I remember the days when she and Kylee would come down with the boys and jam for hours in our garage."

"Kylee?" Tommy asked. As far as he knew, Kira was the only girl in her group.

"Mhmm… Kylee Styles and Kira used to be the best of friends, but then Kylee got 'discovered' and left little old Reefside behind."

_Wait, Kylee Styles? As in, the chick spewing all that pop garbage on the airwaves?_

"Kira used to sing pop?" Tommy asked, slightly aghast.

"Oh, jeez, no," Tina denied promptly, "Kylee's the one who changed. It's a pity, though. She and Kira were really good together."

"I guess people just change over time," Tommy returned. _People like close former mentors who decide to ignore you when you know they're alive and are trying to contact them in an effort to keep a mutant dinosaur from destroying the city._

"True, true. It just… It hurt Kira, y'know? She's a strong girl, but I know she misses her best friend."

Tina looked at Tommy somberly. "Tommy? Can you do me a favor? I – I'm probably way overstepping my bounds here and sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong, but Derek and Alicia, though I love them to death, are such hands-off parents and-"

"Tina, breathe," Tommy interrupted, "What you need me to do?"

"Will you… Will you look after Kira? I mean, I know you'll look after Kira physically, taking care of her injuries and all, but will you keep an eye on her emotionally, too? She wants the world to think she's strong, and she is, but she's also just a teenager and Justin and I can't be there for her as much as we'd like because of the bar-"

"Tina, breathe," Tommy instructed again. "_Of course_ I'll look out for Kira. You didn't even need to ask. She's one of my Rangers."

"Why do I get the feeling you replaced that last word with 'kids' in your head?" Justin remarked wryly.

Tommy smirked. _Probably because I often have._

"I'm not going to tell you not to worry," Tommy continued, "Because even I worry about the Rangers at times. But I will promise that I will do whatever it takes to make sure they're all safe at the end of the day."

_I will not let the visions Mesogog planted in my mind become reality._

Tina smiled and embraced Tommy. "That's all we can ask, isn't it?"

Tommy's mind flashed to a funeral and a woman with an angry, tearstained face, before he pushed the image away. Now wasn't the time. Instead he grinned and changed the subject.

"Do you guys know about Michele, Jason and Kat's little girl?"

Justin tilted his head curiously as Tina's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's right! They had a girl! What's she like? Do tell!"

Justin winced at his wife's squealing. "Tina, you're going to blow out our eardrums."

Tina hit his arm lightly and turned expectantly to Tommy, who simply chuckled. "Well, for one, she's absolutely gorgeous…"

* * *

A/N: ... And Tommy, Tina, and Justin spent the rest of the evening catching up. I'd have written their conversation, but it would have revealed information that I'm saving for later in the story. Now, who was surprised by the appearance of the Dark Rangers?

Billy in Austria - As much alien interaction as Angel Grove has, I doubt that Billy could just go and say, "Oh, by the way, I'm moving to another planet." Therefore, the Rangers made up a cover story for him. To be honest, I picked Austria because it shares six letters with Aquitar and starts with A. However, as I already mentioned in the first chapter, Billy did tell Hayley the truth because they were so close.

Yes, the Kelly in Blue Bay Harbor is the Kelly from Ninja Storm. I've seen sources say that the Dark Pink Ranger's name was Hilary, while some others say Kelly, and still others just show a question mark. I couldn't make heads or tails out of their introductions at the end of Green No More, so I went with Kelly. Y'know, **K**el**ly**, **K**imber**ly**...

As to why Conner and Ethan were at the battle before Tommy knew about it: A) He wasn't monitoring things in his basement. B) Zeltrax and Elsa showed up very close to Ethan's house. Conner was there because he was wandering around the city aimlessly and gravitated towards his friend's house.

If you have any questions/comments/concerns, don't hesitate to let me know. Please leave a review!


	7. Diva in Distress

A/N: And now we actually get to Diva in Distress! There's actually quite a bit of stuff going on in this chapter. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Thank you so much to everyone who read/reviewed/alerted/favorited this story!

* * *

**Diva in Distress:**

A soft smile rested on Tommy's face as he listened to Kira sing.

_"-I'm over you, better believe it's true…_"

She frowned and her gaze drifted to the side for a moment, but she kept singing, "_All I see in your eyes are the times that you lied. I'm over you…"_

Tommy looked over to where she glanced, but only saw a few teens playing foosball, so he turned his attention back to the singer. Conner and Ethan seemed to be enjoying her music just as much as he did, and he was relatively certain that Trent was behind the counter drawing something of her.

"_-I'm over you… Darling, I'm done, I'm through. You can say it again that you wanna be friends, but when we get to the end and back, I'm over you._"

Kira ended the song with a dissatisfied expression on her face.

_What's wrong, Kira? That was really good!_

The three male Rangers applauded heartily, along with a few people around them.

_Ah. That's probably it. Not many people were paying attention_.

"That was awesome," Conner said as Kira took off her guitar and sat down with them. "Is that something new?"

"Yeah," Kira replied, "I'm still working on the hook, but I think there's something there."

Ethan grinned and nodded, saying, "I'm telling you, if this superhero gig doesn't work out, you _definitely_ have a musical career to fall back on."

_Absolutely, not that being a Power Ranger actually earns you any money. Sorry about that._

Kira shrugged and replied morosely, "It's kind of hard to have a musical career when you can't even get anyone to listen to you play."

Trent, who had just appeared at Kira's elbow with a drink for her, immediately said, "Well, I was listening, and I think you rock."

_You also have a crush on her._

Kira looked over at the notebook Trent was holding. "What are you working on?"

Trent immediately hid the picture from view, deflecting, "No, not till it's done."

Kira simply smiled and replied, "Fine."

_And she has a crush on you right back. This right here is why I teach high school. High entertainment value._

"Nobody appreciates good music anymore," Tommy said, "All you hear on the radio anymore is that pop garbage." _Seriously, what happened to good old rock 'n' roll?_

"Yeah," Hayley agreed, coming over to their table, "Like what's her name… Kylee Styles?"

The expression on Kira's face tightened and Tommy remembered from his conversation with Justin and Tina that Kira and Kylee had once been good friends.

"Hey, Kylee Styles has some good music, Dr. O," Conner replied.

Tommy grimaced and made a slightly disgusted noise as Ethan added, "Translation: He thinks she's _fine_."

_Fine… Why am I not surprised?_

"No, I don't," Conner denied.

Ethan gave him an amused look. Conner folded. "Alright, yeah, yeah, I do, _but_, that has nothing to do with it."

_I'm sure it doesn't, Conner._

"She used to be a really good songwriter," Kira commented, "She _was_ really sweet, too. Now, she's all about image."

_Really? I get her being sweet, Tina told me so, but I always pictured you being the songwriter of the two._

Ethan's brow furrowed curiously. "You say that like you two are friends."

"Oh, we used to be," Kira replied.

Similar expressions of disbelief crossed Ethan and Conner's faces. Kira snapped, "What? It's true! We were in a band together. Then, she got discovered by this agent, and now she's this huge _pop_ diva."

Kira sat back, annoyed, and Conner replied, "Oh, come on, you don't expect us to believe that, do you?"

Hurt flashed in Kira's eyes. "Believe what you want. It's true."

_Ignore them, Kira, they're idiots._

"No matter these two think," Tommy cut in, "_I_ believe you Kira." _After all, Tina even showed me pictures of you two when you were younger._

Kira smiled gratefully, though the hurt didn't completely vanish.

"Aah, here's your chance to prove it," Ethan said to Kira, "According to her fansite, she's going to be in town to promote her new CD."

"Oh, we are so there!" Conner piped up immediately.

"And," Conner continued, "Since you two are such good buddies-"

"Hey!" Trent called out, waving to someone behind Tommy.

Tommy turned around, shaking his head at his students' line of conversation, and all thought promptly vanished from his mind.

Anton Mercer had just entered the Cyberspace.

Tommy didn't hear the rest of Conner, Kira, and Ethan's conversation, or even really remember that they were there. He was barely even aware that he had started moving.

Anton Mercer was standing in the Cyberspace.

Which meant that Anton was most certainly alive, and had most certainly been ignoring Tommy for almost two months.

_Why, Anton? We were so close. Why didn't you contact me? Were you angry? Did… Did someone threaten you? I just want to know why!_

Trent was already at Anton's side, patting his arm. Anton looked at the teen with a warm expression, something similar to the way he used to look at Tommy. The veteran Ranger felt a pang of hurt go through him, warring with the relief and confusion at seeing his old friend again.

Then Anton's gaze fell on him and cold, distant expression fell over his face. It felt like a punch to the gut to Tommy.

_Don't look at me like that, Anton. Rage at me, hate me, but please, don't look at me as if I'm not there._

"Anton Mercer… I can't believe it…"

Tommy held out his hand for Anton to shake, suddenly very conscious of how different he and his old partner were dressed. Anton was wearing an expensive black business suit, and he was wearing jeans, a tank top under an old shirt and his very old green jacket.

_Get a grip, Oliver. Anton never cared what you wore, unless you were giving a presentation._

"Tommy," Anton said reluctantly, shaking Tommy's hand with barely concealed displeasure. "Tommy Oliver. How've you been?"

_Oh, I've been fine, Anton. I blew up an island, swam to the mainland, spent the next year preparing morphers and other Ranger technology, got a job teaching high school science, helped three students become Power Rangers, and recently became the Black Ranger myself. How about you?_

Trent looked between the two curiously, asking Tommy, "You know my Dad?"

_Wait, WHAT?!_

Tommy's brow furrowed. "Your Dad?"

Tommy glanced over at Anton, who still had that cold, distant expression on his face, this time tinge with a hint of defiance, as if daring Tommy to say something.

_Anton? Anton's your Dad? The one I've been mildly tempted to deck for trying to suppress your artistic talents? Something's not right here… The Anton I knew used to happily pin drawings from three-year-olds on his wall._

"I had no idea! I mean, your last name is-"

"It's Fernandez," Anton cut in, patting the teen's shoulder. "It's a long, complicated story, Tommy. More importantly, how are you?"

_Oh, now you care?_

Just then, Hayley came up behind the three of them, pleading, "Trent, can you help out with Table Three? There's been a bit of a… mochaccino… incident."

She flashed a quick smile at Anton while she was speaking, recognition dawning in her eyes.

"Uh, y-yeah," Trent replied, as she dashed off, "I'll be right there."

Trent looked between his father and his teacher again, before squeezing his father's arm gently and saying, "See ya."

Tommy's gaze tracked Trent for a moment, before turning back to Anton, who was looking everywhere else but Tommy at the moment.

"I don't understand," Tommy said, "I thought you were _dead_. I mean, the island, it was destroyed!"

He could still remember feeling the ground shake beneath his feet. He could remember the heat of the flames at his back as he jumped off. He could still remember hitting the water and feeling it close in around him as he struggled to force his exhausted body to move.

"Well, I was lucky, Tommy," Anton replied, giving Tommy a once-over, "From the looks of it, we both were."

"Why didn't you call?" Tommy demanded, "Send a message?"

_Do you have any idea how worried I was? The horror and despair I felt when I had to make that call to the police to report you missing? Do you have any idea how devastated I was when they declared you dead? And then, your company shows up and you don't bother to reply to any of the calls and e-mails I left you!_

Anton's expression closed over and he looked away. "Yeah, well you know what it's like… starting over… trying to get your bearings…"

Anton looked back at Tommy with an expectant expression. Tommy could only nod. "Yeah, I do."

_But you've had plenty of time to get your bearings, Anton. I need you now. We have rampaging experiments to worry about._

Tommy stepped up to Anton and said softly in his ear, "Anton, the experiments we were working on… some crazy things have been happening… We need to figure some things out."

_Like how Mesogog got a hold of technology in the first place, and what we can do to stop him. You'd be a great help to the Rangers, you know, and you did tell me how much you liked working with Lightspeed._

"Yeah. I suppose you're right," Anton murmured in reply, never losing his carefully neutral expression.

The businessman looked at his watch and replied, "Look, I'll clear some time next week, if that's alright with you."

Tommy's brow furrowed in confusion. _What? Anton… do you not understand what's going on? You had to have seen the reports of the Tyrannodrones and monsters plaguing Reefside, and recognized them as our old experiments!_

"But-"

"It's good seeing you again, Tommy," Anton continued, clasping Tommy's shoulders. A flicker of happiness finally appeared in his expression. "Truly, it is."

Anton turned and left, giving Tommy a half-smirk so different from the warm smiles they used to share that it hurt. Tommy stared at the doorway a moment more, before turning away with a confused, slightly hurt expression.

_What just happened?_

* * *

"Hey, Dr. O, who was that?" Conner asked when Tommy returned to the table.

Tommy shook his head, clearing away his troubled expression. "Ah, just someone I used to work with. I hadn't heard from him in a long time, so I was surprised to meet him again."

Ethan sat up. "Meet! Oh, before I forget, Dr. O – my mom wants to meet you."

Tommy blinked. "Parent-teacher conferences are on the 13th."

Ethan looked a little uncomfortable. "No, she wants to _meet_ you, like over lunch meet you."

_Well, that's unexpected._

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Should I be worried?"

Ethan shrugged. "I don't know. She got this really weird look on her face and asked me your first name. She said she knew of a Tommy Oliver a few years ago."

Tommy's brow furrowed. Given the seven-year age gap between him and Ethan, there was no way his mother was a former was a former classmate.

"I don't think it's you, though," Ethan continued, "Because we've always lived in Reefside, and you just moved here."

_Actually, I grew up here, but that's another matter entirely._

"What's your mother's name?" Tommy asked.

"Linda."

_Linda James… Nope, still not ringing any bells._

"Maiden name?"

"Uh… Taylor, I think."

The blood drained away from Tommy's face. _I'm dead. I'm so dead._

"Linda Taylor?" Tommy asked, sitting down.

"Did you know her, Dr. O?" Kira asked.

"Maybe… Ethan, this may sound strange, but did you have an uncle pass away a few years ago?"

Ethan's eyes widened in surprise. "Yeah, Uncle Zack, my mom's younger brother… But, how did you know that?"

Tommy's eyes clouded over and he picked at the hem of his black tank top. "Zack Taylor… was one of my best friends. He, ah, he was one of the Original Five – Black Mastodon, to be specific."

Kira, Conner, and Ethan gaped at their teacher.

"No. Way…"

"Uncle Zack was _one of us_?" Ethan demanded, "Really?"

"Yes, really. He was one of the best," Tommy replied softly, his eyes clouding over in memory. "Sometimes, it's hard to believe it was a drunk driver that killed him… But enough depressing talk. You guys have a celebrity to meet. Ethan, ask your mother if Saturday of Sunday afternoon would be good. I'm going to go see Hayley for a bit."

"Sure thing, Dr. O," Ethan replied as they started packing up.

As Tommy left them, he heard Ethan enthuse, "Wow, do you think my mom knew?"

_She knew, Ethan. She knew… I am so, so dead when I meet her._

* * *

"So what went down between you and Anton?" Hayley asked as Tommy leaned against the counter.

"If I knew, I'd tell you," Tommy replied with a sigh. "He was so cold, Hayley, nothing like I remember him."

"Did you tell him about the experiments? I mean, I don't really see how he could have missed the fact that his own technology was running around the streets, harassing the population."

Tommy shook his head. "Yeah, I told him. He said he'd 'clear some time next week.' He… I don't even remember him treating the business associates he didn't like so coldly, Hayley!"

Hayley bit her lip. She could tell Tommy was deeply troubled by the short conversation he'd had with his old friend. She knew how close they'd been. She'd even had a few lunches with them, and knew Anton to be warm and personable. The man who'd walked into her café, on the other hand, exuded such a cold, businesslike air, she almost hadn't recognized him.

She squeezed Tommy's shoulder gently. "Tommy. I know Anton. I'm sure he's just as concerned about what's going on as you are. He probably didn't want to discuss it in out in the open, that's all."

Tommy nodded. "You're probably right. I'm glad he's alright, though. And, apparently well enough to look after a child."

Hayley's brow furrowed. "Anton has a kid?"

"Hey, Hayley," Trent said, coming up to them carrying a tray with broken glass and dirty cloths.

"Oh, sorry," Hayley said, stepping aside, and allowing Trent to pass behind the counter.

_I still can't believe Anton adopted Trent. It seems like just the kind of thing he would do, though. I wonder where they met…_

"Oh, hey, Dr. Oliver. Did Dad leave already?"

Tommy turned to Trent. "Uh, yeah, he did."

"Huh. I wonder why he came do – I'll be right there, Jess!"

Trent looked to the two adults apologetically. "Sorry, duty calls."

Hayley stared after Trent in shock. Turning back to Tommy, she demanded, "_Trent_ is Anton's kid?"

Tommy nodded. "Blew me away, too."

Hayley shook her head. "There's got to be some kind of story behind that."

"Yeah," Tommy agreed as a large crowd of students entered the café. "Well, looks you're going to have your hands full. If you don't mind, I'm going to head back home. Now that Anton's back, I should start getting my reports together to show him… I'll be back around seven to help you close up, alright?"

"Sounds good," Hayley said, pasting a smile on her face, "I'm going to go deal with my customers."

* * *

As Tommy parked his jeep, he noticed flashes of red, blue, and yellow in the woods.

_What on Earth?_

As if on cue, the three Raptor Riders burst out from the woods and raced to him, bowling him over.

"Whoa! Hey, hey, easy guys!"

Tommy chuckled and sat up, scratching the Red Raptor under its chin.

"What are you guys doing out here? You know you're supposed to stay in the caves, or the deep woods. People could see you if you come this close to my house."

Tommy received a sense of disbelieving amusement in response.

"Yeah, okay, I live in the middle of nowhere," he replied, standing up and walking towards to back entrance to his basement, "So what's going on?"

Tommy frowned at the turbulent emotions he received in return. "You guys feel like something's wrong, huh? Well, I'll check the scanners when I get into to the lab. Have you guys eaten?"

No, they hadn't yet, and they were hungry. Tommy chuckled and shooed them away, telling them to go hunt.

_Now, I wonder what's got them so spooked._

_

* * *

_

Ten minutes later, Tommy decided he was going to buy a Mesogog-shaped punching bag and beat the stuffing out of it.

_You irritating mutant dinosaur, WHY couldn't the dominant part of your brain have been the reptilian side that didn't know anything about programming?_

Tommy sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Every time he looked at the footage or schematics of the Tyrannodrones, he couldn't help but feel angry, and guilty. No matter what his best friend said, that was still his project running around out there. Mesogog had _no right_ to steal and manipulate his technology like that.

_Why do I do this to myself? I could just as well let those file collect dust on my desktop until kingdom come. Oh, that's right, I'm doing this for Anton. Knowing him, he'll be just as upset as I am._

But did he know Anton anymore? The earlier conversation he'd had with Dr. Mercer played through his mind again. That man… That man _wasn't_ the Anton he knew. Tommy stared at his computer screen blankly. Should he even be doing this, then? Could he entrust such precious information to a near-stranger?

_Jeez, what am I thinking? This is Anton, for crying out loud! The man I've trusted my deepest secrets with, the one who supported me when two of my best friends died, the one who ranks among the few people on the planet I'd trust with my life!_

Tommy shook his head and sighed. This was getting him nowhere. He'd just have to wait until Anton, or, as was looking more likely, his secretary, called, and told him when would be a good time for them to meet. Tommy massaged his temples.

_Mesogog, re-programmed experiments out to destroy the city, hormonal teenagers, a potentially psychopathic boss, deadlines, civil unrest on another planet… what else am I supposed to deal with?_

As if on cue, an alarm sounded, alerting him that Mesogog had sent out another monster and several Tyrannodrones.

_Idiot. Someday, I'll learn to stop tempting fate._

The monster was at the Mall. Wait, weren't the teens over there, meeting Kylee Styles? Conner and Kira were fighting, but they wouldn't be able to morph because of Kylee… Oh dear.

Tommy watched as the monster – a donkey? Really? – shot beams of energy at Kylee and turned her old. It then used the ensuing distraction to escape into the city, shooting out its beams at any civilians in its path.

_Alright, this is getting out of hand. Where's Ethan?_

"Ethan, are you at the mall?" Tommy said, opening up a communication link with the Blue Ranger.

A few moments later, Ethan replied, "No, sorry, Doc. My mom called me away for an errand. I'm just leaving Wal-Mart right now."

"Alright, come back to the lab when you're done. We have a situation."

"Sure thing, Dr. O."

Switching channels, Tommy said, "Conner, Kira, are you alright?"

"Uh, what's your definition of 'alright', Dr. O?" Conner replied.

"All internal organs and appendages where they belong? You didn't get hit by the beams, did you?"

"No, but Kylee did. Man, she does _not_ age well."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Kira, take Kylee back to Hayley's. Stay with her if you need to. Conner, come back to the lab. Let's try and figure this out."

"Sure, Dr. O."

Tommy winced as Kylee's wails increased in pitch and hit the mute button.

_Thank goodness Tanya and Cassie never turned into that._

Conner appeared in the basement a few minutes later.

"So, what's up, Doc?" he said with a grin, "What is that thing?"

_Heck if I know, kid._

"By the looks of things, it's shooting some kind of lightning at the civilians, altering their genetic make-up somehow… I don't know if my sensors are capable of detecting what exactly it is, though, and how to reverse it."

"Stuff's moving backward," Conner said, "The donkey-thing hits the person with whatever energy he's shooting out, then almost immediately, stuff from the person goes back to the donkey, and you can't really tell if it's moving, except for these really quick spurts… what?"

Tommy was staring at Conner with a mixture of pride and interest.

_Impressive, Red, very impressive_.

"Your powers are developing. Your body's gotten used to moving at high speeds, so your powers are branching out to the way you perceive things. You're able to detect things moving at much higher speeds than anything a human eye can."

"… Dude. That's awesome! Will the others' powers do the same thing?"

Tommy nodded. "Probably. With Kira, I'd guess that she'd be able to control the pitch, intensity, and range of her ptera-scream, maybe even be able to use it to convey spoken messages. Ethan, I suppose he'd be able to harden his entire body."

Conner looked at his teacher curiously. "What about you?"

"Never gave it much thought, really, but I assume I'd be able to turn other things invisible."

Conner grinned and shook his head. "That's awesome. How come you didn't tell us this before?"

"I wasn't sure anything would happen, to be honest. Besides, why do you think I push you to use your powers during training?"

"Because you don't want us to die in battle before we morph?" a new voice suggested.

Tommy and Conner turned around to see Ethan enter the lab. The Blue Ranger waved. "So, what's I miss?"

Tommy's computer beeped and the three of them turned to look at the main screen.

_Well, that's new._

"Conner's powers are developing. And, the stuff going back to the donkey is youth energy."

"Say what now?!"

"Your sensors can detect youth energy?"

"Youth energy, and yeah, they can. I had a bit of a problem with one of my former teammates aging too quickly, so it's a valid precaution."

Ethan stared at the screen. "A donkey that can extract the youth out of people? That is wrong in so many ways."

"Mesogog's probably found a way to harness youth into energy. We have to figure out a way to fight it."

"Where's Kira?" Ethan asked.

"She's taken Kylee to the Cyberspace," Conner replied, "I think she's having a meltdown over seeing her all old and shriveled up. I gotta admit, it was kinda brutal."

Tommy's eyebrows rose. "We'll talk about respect for the elders later. Right now, there's something we need to take care of."

The teens nodded and got ready to morph.

"DinoThunder, Power up!"

* * *

_Cassidy, what do you think you're doing?!_

There was a time and a place for things, and Tommy could say with absolute certainty that a battle that three Power Rangers together were losing was neither the time nor the place to be interviewing an evil monster bent on stealing youth energy – if there even _was_ an appropriate time and place for such a thing!

And then, of course, the monster had to go and suck out Cassidy and Devin's youth.

Tommy picked himself from where he had fallen. Conner was fighting the monster alone.

"Hold on, Conner!"

Before he could reach Conner, however, his favorite cyborg appeared.

_Oh for the love of… Who invited you?_

"Zeltrax!"

Zeltrax pointed his sword towards Tommy. "We still have a score to settle, Black Ranger, or have you forgotten?"

"I told you – I have _no idea_ what you're talking about."

Zeltrax growled and sent a blast of lightning from his sword, knocking Tommy off his feet.

_Ow. Need to remember to dodge – LIKE NOW!_

Tommy rolled away as Zeltrax bore down, his sword hitting the concrete inches from where Tommy's neck had been.

_Why do the evil villains always go for the neck?_

Tommy picked himself up, blocking another sword strike.

_I suppose I should be glad that my main weapon was a sword for so many years. Even if my suit can withstand a sword strike, I somehow doubt martial arts would the smartest course of action._

Tommy lashed out with his Brachio Staff, hitting Zeltrax's shield.

_Okay, that shield has got to go._

Ranger and cyborg traded blows, matched strike for strike.

_Of all the people to evenly matched against in terms of skill, why did it have to be the one with a grudge against me? Wait a minute, we're not matched in terms of skill. Focus, Tommy!_

Tommy wrenched Zeltrax's shield away, putting them on even footing as their fight continued.

_Why do I always end up with your sword in my face?_

Tommy pushed Zeltrax away and continued striking. He gave the cyborg a running kick, sending him flying back several feet and disarming him. Tommy brought up his Brachio Staff and pointed it at his opponent.

"Give it up, Zeltrax."

_No, really. Give up so I can go keep the boys from getting their butts kicked by your donkey friend._

Tommy winced as a sharp cry rang out, resounding within his helmet.

_A little warning on the ptera-scream would be nice next time, Kira. If you blow out my eardrums, I won't be able to hear you sing!_

Tommy ducked as Zeltrax, having picked up his sword, swung at him again.

"Man, don't you ever get tired?"

"I will not rest until I have my vengeance!"

_Hey, Kira's pretty handy with a tennis racket. I wonder if she ever took lessons._

"What vengeance?! Y'know, the least you could do is tell me what I did!"

Tommy's staff met Zeltrax's sword as it bore down and Tommy drove his knee into the cyborg's gut, knocking him off his feet.

_Stay down for a bit, would you? Now, where did the others go?_

Tommy turned just in time to see the monster grow the size of a large building.

_Mesogog, you irritating mutant freak._

"Dr. Oliver?" came Kira's voice, "This might be a good time for some heavy metal."

_Zord time it is._

"You got it! BrachioZord! Now!"

Tommy could feel the BrachioZord's acknowledgement through their mental bond, as well as a warning. Just in time, too, as Zeltrax was up and ready to fight again.

"This is getting tiresome," Tommy grunted.

"I couldn't agree more," Zeltrax snarled, "Why don't you make it easy for the both of us and surrender?"

"In your dreams!"

Tommy launched his most ferocious strike against Zeltrax yet, slashing him across the torso.

"Whatever your problem is, I don't have time for it right now."

"This isn't over," Zeltrax warned as he retreated.

_Is it ever?_

Tommy sighed and rolled his shoulders. It felt like he'd pulled a muscle fighting. That would probably bother him for the rest of the day. He turned back to main battle to see the Thundersaurus MegaZord defeat the monster once and for all, ball of energy flying out from it.

_Now, hopefully, everyone will revert to their normal ages._

"Good job, guys," Tommy said as the teens landed in front of him and they all demorphed.

"Thanks, Dr. O!"

Kira sighed. "I'd better get back to the Cyberspace… Make sure Kylee's alright."

"We'll go with you," Ethan said, "I want to meet this, er, old friend of yours."

Kira rolled her eyes as Tommy chuckled. "Come on, let's head back. I think I want a smoothie."

"Good luck with that. Kylee's probably got Hayley and everyone on staff waiting on her hand and foot by now."

"Don't be too sure of that, Kira. Hayley's stood up to more powerful and influential people than Kylee Styles."

"Really?" Conner asked, "Like who?"

"Do you guys know who Astronema is?"

The three teens stopped and stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Astronema?"

"As in, the Princess of Evil, and Conqueror of the known Universe, before the Space Rangers defeated her?"

"The one who turned good and was really the Red Space Ranger's sister?"

Tommy grinned. "That's the one. Her real name's Karone, and she's also a very nice woman. She does, however, have a tendency to brood. One time, Hayley got tired of it, and you should have heard the talking-to she gave Karone."

"No. Way."

"You're kidding, right? Hayley yelled at the most powerful woman in the galaxy?!"

Tommy shook his head. "I kid you not. So trust me, if Kylee thinks she going to get anything from Hayley, she's going to be sorely disappointed."

"Alright, now this I have to see!" Ethan cheered as they continued on their way.

The four of them walked into the Cyberspace to see Kyle stomp her foot and exclaim petulantly, "But I'm Kylee Styles!"

"That _is_ what it says on your birth certificate," Kira replied dryly.

Kylee turned around sharply and squealed happily, "KIRA!"

Kira found herself being hugged tightly by the young blond pop star.

"Oh, look, Kira," Kylee chattered, "I'm _me_! I'm beautiful again! I'll be able to go on 'You Request It!'"

Kira smiled weakly and patted her friend. "That's great, Kylee. Really great."

Tommy moved past the teens, towards his own – very harassed-looking – friend.

"Hayley! Whoa, slow down there."

Hayley's eyes lit up when she saw him. "Tommy! Oh, thank goodness, someone sensible!"

_I'm sensible? When did this happen and why wasn't I made aware of it?_

"Kylee really got under your skin, huh?"

Hayley shook her head. "That girl… She's been standing there, crying for a strawberry smoothie, no matter how many times I tell her we're fresh out of strawberries! Argh! I'm at my wit's end with her!"

Tommy chuckled. "This from the woman who told the most powerful woman in the galaxy to – what was it, again?"

Hayley rolled her eyes. "Karone's got more sense in her smallest _fingernail_ than Kylee Styles has in her entire body! I love Kira, and I know Kylee's her friend, but the sooner Miss Styles is out of my café, the happier I'll be. But, anyway, what about you? Kira said something about a donkey?"

"Yeah, a donkey that sucks out people's youth. As far as battles go, it wasn't anything big. All civilian casualties reversed, minimal property damage, and it barely took, what, thirty minutes?"

Hayley shook her head. "Yeah, thirty most unpleasant minutes of my life."

It was Tommy's turned to roll his eyes. "I'm sorry, Miss Ziktor, we'll try to be faster next time."

"See that you do," Hayley returned officiously, before the two of them dissolved into laughter.

_Ah, Hayley, you're like a balm to the soul, you know that?_

"Alright, alright," Hayley said, getting herself back together, "Now go save your student. Conner and Ethan certainly aren't about to."

Kira was looking increasingly uncomfortable as she talked with Kylee. Conner and Ethan's eyebrows suddenly rose and Kira started walking away, leaving behind two stunned boys and a confused girl.

_Uh-oh. What's going on here?_

"Kira? Is everything alright?" Tommy asked, intercepting the aspiring singer's path.

Kira looked up at him, her eyes bright. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Right. And I'm a flying chimpanzee."

_Oh crud, I hope I'm not turning into Goldar – that would suck._

Kira's lips quirked up a little. "I – I'll be fine, Dr. O. Don't worry about me."

_I'll always worry about you, kid._

"I'll be forty in a few years, but that doesn't mean anything. What happened back there?"

Kira sighed and clenched her fists. "She was my friend, Dr. Oliver, one of my closest friends – and I don't even know who she is anymore!"

Tommy guided the young girl to a quiet corner table and sat her down. Kira wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"The Kylee I knew… She should have gotten an award for being one of the sweetest people in the city. You know, we went to a private school together, until about eighth grade – Dad switched jobs then – along with Cassidy and Devin. Back then, it wasn't Cassidy and Devin. It was Cassidy, Janet McCarty, and Bill Wallace… Then, Jan and Bill went off and did… Well, Cassidy and Devin can give you the full story, but they left Cassidy alone and heartbroken. Kylee wrote a song for her, to make her feel better – because _that's_ what Kylee did. She used her music to help others… Not this shallow crap she's spewing now."

Kira paused and looked over to her former friend. Conner and Ethan were nowhere to be seen.

"I mean, she actually stood there and said in this totally fake whisper that she wasn't sure what Conner and Ethan were going to do for my image – while they were right there! I miss the old Kylee… Sorry, Dr. O., you don't need to hear me vent."

Tommy smiled gently. "Hey, don't worry about it, Kira. Besides, I know a little how you feel."

Kira looked at him a little curiously, as if unsure whether she should ask. "Yeah?"

Tommy nodded. "Before I moved to Angel Grove, I lived in LA. I met a guy there, at school, and we became really good friends. I mean, we practically planned out our futures together – we were both really into martial arts, and we were going to compete internationally together… big dreams. But then, my family moved to Angel Grove. We kept in touch, or tried to, but his letters started getting rarer and rarer until they stopped completely."

Tommy paused and shook his head. _Ah, Jeremy…_

"When I finally got a chance to see him again, he spoke to me for maybe two minutes. He said he couldn't afford to be seen with a mixed-blood like me. He was white and no one knew what I was racially, since I was adopted. Last I checked, he was in prison for grand larceny."

Kira stared at her teacher in shock. "That's… that's horrible. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It's long in the past. It hurt me, I'll give you that, but I also had friends in Angel Grove that I _could_ actually count on. Just like you do."

Kira looked over at the rest of the café again, to see Conner and Ethan talking to Trent and casting surreptitious glances her way. Kylee was nowhere to be seen.

"Yeah. It's funny, I would never have thought I'd be such good friends with Conner and Ethan, but really, they're some of the best friends a person could ask for. Don't tell Conner I said that, though – his ego doesn't need any more inflation."

Tommy chuckled. "Your secret is safe with me."

Kira gave a weak chuckle. Tommy reached out an squeezed her hand gently.

"Hey. You're a strong young woman, Kira, but it's okay to hurt and it's okay to tell Kylee 'no' and stand up for your own beliefs. Just don't forget that you have other people you can count on, alright? I'm always available if you need anything."

Kira smiled again, a truer smile this time. "Thanks, Dr. O."

"You're welcome. Now come on, I need to meet this girl."

Right on cue, a voice called out, "Kira! There you are!"

Kylee sauntered over to them, running her eyes appreciatively over the young teacher.

_Please stop looking at me like that. I get enough from my students._

"Not a bad upgrade, Kira. Definitely better than Tanner and the geek."

Kira's fists clenched and she stood up. "Actually, Kylee, Dr. Oliver is my science teacher. And _Conner_ and _Ethan_ are very good friends of mine. I'd happily hang out with them, no matter what it did to my _image_."

With that, she walked away to find the boys. Kylee stared after her, confused, and then turned back to Tommy with an awkward smile.

Tommy simply looked at her, and said mildly, "You know, Miss Styles, if Kira had been hit with the monster's beam, she would still have been out there, trying to help the other civilians cope with the damage. She protected you at risk to herself, and brought you to a safe place because you were her _friend._ Ask yourself this: what would you have done if the situations had been reversed? Would you have stayed and helped, or would have driven away in your limousine, because it wasn't your problem?"

Tommy stood up and pushed in his chair. He kept his eyes trained on the young diva, his solemn gaze boring into her.

"Consider this as well: Kira was the only one who stayed for you after the attack. Not your fans, not your road crew or agents. When it came down to it, it wasn't the people who are paid to be with you that were at your side in a time of crisis, but an old friend you had all but forgotten. What does that tell you, Miss Styles? Who will stand beside you in a time of crisis and why?"

Kylee opened her mouth to retort, but Tommy cut her off. "Don't tell me that nothing bad will happen to you because 'you're Kylee Styles'. I've seen worse things happen to people more influential and powerful than you."

Kylee scowled. "Why are you being so mean to me?!"

_Because you're somewhat insufferable and you hurt one of my Rangers._

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "I call it as I see it, Miss Styles. Look how many people are _genuinely happy_ to be around Kira. How many people can say the same for you? Think about that."

Kylee looked over uncertainly at Kira, who was laughing with Conner, Trent, Ethan, and several other students.

"Kira told me you used to be a very sweet person. For your own sake, I hope that person is still in there somewhere. You'll have a sad, empty life if not. Have a nice day, Miss Styles."

Tommy turned and walked away. He could only hope his words had some effect

* * *

A/N: Well, that turned out a lot more somber than I expected it to. Let me know what you think. Pleas, leave a review!


	8. Interlude: Mothers and Funerals

A/N: Oh my, I can't believe it took me so long to update... This chapter and the next were originally supposed to be just one, and then it exploded into two. And by exploded, I mean expanded with the force and speed of moving continents.

Thank you so much to everyone who read/reviewed/alerted/favorited this story! Special thanks to F-35 Phoenix for the encouragement and offer to kick Ethan and Tommy in the pants to get this going!

Disclaimer: I've realized that I have not disclaimed in the past, an error on my part, so I disclaim now that I do not own Power Rangers. That sound you hear? That is the sound of my hopes and dreams being crushed by reality.

Warning: There is censored cursing in this chapter.

* * *

**Interlude - Mothers and Funerals:**

The next morning, Tommy found himself being woken by the shrill ringing of his telephone. Groaning and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he propped himself up on his elbows and reached for his alarm clock. It read 7:18.

_Ugh. Who calls this early on a Saturday?_

Tommy fumbled for his phone and fell back against his pillow as he answered, "Oliver."

"Tommy Oliver? This is Elizabeth Gershwin from Dr. Anton Mercer's office."

Tommy sat up immediately, all thoughts of sleep banished from his mind.

_Anton?_

"Yes?"

"Dr. Mercer has some time free this Friday evening at six to meet with you."

_Why do you sound so amused? Oh right, maybe it's because I've been calling for several weeks already, and I'm sure you've heard every one of those messages._

Tommy scrambled out of bed, looking at his calendar. "Ah, Friday the eighth?"

"Yes, sir."

He had actually planned to meet some of the other Red Rangers in Mariner Bay. Kelsey had hold Carter of a good place they could go rock climbing, so that was what they had planned to do for their monthly meeting. However, he was sure they wouldn't mind him bailing to meet Anton.

"Friday the eighth at six will be fine."

"Alright," the woman replied cheerfully, "I'll let Dr. Mercer know. Have a good day, sir."

"Yeah, you too," Tommy said dazedly, and ended the call.

Tommy ran a hand through his hair. He was going to meet Anton in a week. One week, and he'd finally get some answers from his friend.

_Well, I might as well get up and get moving. Don't think I'll get much more sleep today._

* * *

An hour later found Tommy sitting in front of his computer in the basement. A window with the face of a blond man appeared on screen.

"Ryan!" Tommy greeted in surprise, "What's up?"

"Tommy! Glad I could catch a hold of you. I was looking over some of the early analysis we did on the DinoGems, and I came across some discrepancies."

Tommy's brow furrowed. Ryan had been with him when he discovered the DinoGems, in what Dana called the 'Marevus Dig'. Marevus had been a demon who had making trouble where the Gems had been located, in an effort to steal their energy for himself. Needless to say, Ryan and Tommy had kept that plan from growing to fruition.

After that, Ryan, Tommy, and Anton – who had just discovered that Tommy was a Ranger, and subsequently sworn to keep that information secret – had sat down to analyze the Gems. It was from those initial readings that they realized where the DinoGems must have come from, and that there may have been another undiscovered DinoGem, which Tommy had tracked and found to be the Black DinoGem.

"Discrepancies? How so?"

"You remember how there were some spots where we couldn't quite make sense of the data?"

Tommy nodded. "Yeah, we ended up deciding the equipment must have been picking up some residual energy readings from Marevus. You think they weren't?"

Ryan nodded and held up a scroll. "Karone and I are on Corsecus right now, and I came across some Demonology scrolls that got me thinking. So, I looked back over my copy of the data we gathered and worked it over again, this time knowing what the readings from the Black DinoGem look like, and what Marevus' energy should have looked like. It still doesn't add up right."

Tommy leaned forward, his chin propped up on his fist. "Could it be another DinoGem?"

"That's what I was thinking, but there's really no way to know for sure. The difference between your Gem and the other three Gems is too great for extrapolate anything from."

Tommy nodded. "Thanks for letting me know, Ryan. I'll keep an eye on the Grid in case it activates. Send me what you've got, if you could. I'm meeting with Anton next week; maybe he and I can figure something out."

Ryan's eyes widened in surprise. "Mercer's back? But I thought, with the island…"

"I thought so, too," Tommy affirmed, "But his company's been active for a while, and I just saw him in person yesterday afternoon."

"Do Wes and Dad know Mercer Industries is back online?"

"I think so, but I should probably check just in case."

Ryan nodded and opened his mouth to say something else, but gave a huge yawn instead. Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Ryan, where did you say you were?"

"Corsecus," the demon hunter replied, "It's in the middle of the Perseus Arm."

Ryan yawned again. "It's about an hour short of midnight over here."

Tommy stared at the other man. "Ryan, is your wife planning my imminent demise right now for keeping you awake this long?"

Ryan glanced off-screen to Karone. "Actually, I think she's planning mine, too. I should go now."

"You probably should. Good night, Ryan."

"Night, Tommy," Ryan said, yawning and logging off.

Tommy shook his head as Ryan's face disappeared. In some ways, the Rangers never made it past adolescence, still forgetting to take care of their own bodies while getting caught up in other things. Without sensible – and mildly intimidating – women like Dana, Karone, and Taylor, they'd have probably all fallen apart by now.

_Alright, so I've got to call Wes and Captain Mitchell. Of course, I already know Wes won't be awake for another hour at least… Why is Ethan e-mailing me?_

Tommy had brought up his work e-mail account to find an e-mail from his student waiting for him

_Hey, Dr. O, Mom wants you to come over today at noon. She still won't tell me why she wants to meet you so bad, though. Dad's out with some friends, and I'm going to be at the café all day, so it'll just be you and her. –Ethan_

A pit of dread settled in Tommy's gut. Linda Taylor… The last time he'd seen her had been at Zack's funeral. She'd been so angry that day, at all of them. If she suspected Ethan was a Ranger, and that Tommy had something to do with it, well, he was dead.

He immediately dialed his best friend's number on his phone.

"Tommy?" Jason's sleepy voice came, "What's up, man? It's still early."

"What are the chances that Linda Taylor won't kill me for making her son Blue?" Tommy asked without preamble.

"… Wait, _what_?"

"Linda Taylor, well, technically James," Tommy explained, "You remember, Zack's older sister, who hated us because he served and glared at us through the entire funeral?"

"Unfortunately, yes. What about her?"

"Her son is my Blue Ranger."

"Oh jeez, you're dead. You're _so_ dead. I think I'll go start arranging your funeral now."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jase."

"Ha, no problem, bro. But seriously? Your Blue is Linda's kid? How did she find out?"

"I'm not a hundred percent sure she knows, but she wants me to come over and have lunch today afternoon, despite the fact that Parent-teacher conferences are on the 13th."

"She knows," Jason affirmed, "I remember Linda, she's sneaky like that. She just wants to yell at you on her own turf."

"Well, that's comforting."

"I know, I know. So, did you need anything, or did you just wake me up to vent?"

"You weren't asleep, and I was kind of hoping you could give me some advice on how to deal with her. After all, you're the diplomat."

Jason scoffed, "I work for a secret branch of the UN maybe a few hundred people in the entire world know about that works with interplanetary relations. I have no idea what to do with angry, overprotective mothers. Just tell her to live with it. You couldn't control the people the Power chose."

"One, she's not being overprotective, she's rightly concerned. And two, you do remember that she threatened us all with restraining orders, right? Oh, jeez… I could lose my job over this!"

"Tommy!" Jason said, "Bro, relax. First of all, it's been years since Zack's funeral and for all we know, Linda could have mellowed out since then. The things she said, she said in grief. And second, you know you don't _need_ your job at Reefside. You make enough money from Onyx, and Wes or Lightspeed would be more than happy to offer you a remote-site job. Heck, even Andros and Leo would happily take you, or you could work something out with the Aquitians. You'll be fine."

_Says the one who has a stable job and doesn't have three teenage Rangers to worry about._

"Or, you could always go bug Mercer for a job. After all the stuff you've had to deal with because of his projects, it's the least he could do."

Tommy sighed. "I'm going to withhold any comments on Anton until after I meet with him on Friday."

"Wait, what? You're actually meeting with Mercer in person? When did this happen?!"

Tommy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Ah, well, I saw him at the Cyberspace. Turns out, he adopted a kid who's in my class. I told him we needed to meet and figure some stuff out about our experiments, and he said he'd clear some time next week. His secretary called me this morning and told me he was free Friday at six."

There was a pause, in which Tommy could imagine his best friend massaging his temples. The Jason continued, " 'Clear some time'? Really? Did he not see the rampaging monsters and Tyrannodrones?"

"Who knows. I'm just glad he didn't try and sue me for blowing the island up."

Jason snorted. "I'd tell you my thoughts on that, but we've had this conversation too many times before, and Michele's going to wake up soon."

"Alright, I'll let you go, bro."

"Later, Tommy," Jason said, and hung up.

Tommy set the phone down and stared up at the ceiling, fervently hoping that he'd still have a job by the end of the week.

* * *

The morning passed, and Tommy left messages for both Wes and Captain Mitchell about Anton's status, then going on to grade papers. Before he knew it, though, he was standing in front of the James home, his fist raised to knock on the door.

_Here goes nothing. If any deity's listening, please let me get out of this in one piece_.

A dark-skinned woman with chin-length black hair opened the door, looking at him curiously. He smiled at her, a little unsurely. She really hadn't changed over the years, maybe a few more stress lines but that was all. Her eyes widened after a moment.

"Oh my… Tommy Oliver?"

Tommy nodded. "Hello, Linda."

Linda James gave the man before her a once over. He looked very different from the young man in a red shirt, khakis, and a green jacket she had met at her little brother's funeral. That group of eight had been so colorful, with only two boys wearing black – and that had been their slacks…

_The sun was hidden by clouds, casting a grey pall over the gathered men and women. They were all in black, except for a group of eight around the coffin, the youngest individuals gathered. There was a boy in a red shirt and black slacks, holding hands with a tall blonde girl in a pink dress. Beside them stood a blond boy in blue. There was a trio, as well, a boy in a red shirt and blue jeans with a dark-skinned girl in a yellow dress leaning her head against his shoulder and a boy in a green shirt and black slacks at their backs. The last two people were a boy in green, white, and red, and brunette in pink._

_Jason Lee Scott, Katherine Hilliard, Rocky DeSantos, Tanya Sloan, Adam Park, Tommy Oliver, and Kimberly Ann Hart. They were close friends, very close friends, of the deceased._

_The deceased was Zachary Nelson Taylor, a vivacious young man with big dreams and a bigger heart. Zack had signed on with a dance studio in LA and had been working on creating programs for underprivileged children in the area. Zack had been driving back from the Los Angeles International Airport, having picked up his friend Trini Kwan, when a drunk driver had veered off course and rammed into his car. Zack and Trini had both died on impact, so severe was the crash._

_"I can't believe he's gone," Kim murmured, "How can he be gone, after everything we've been through?"_

_"He's not gone," Tommy replied, "His spirit will always be with us."_

_Adam closed his eyes, tightening his fist around the Black Mastodon Power Coin. It was completely his now. He had felt the full Power of the Mastodon enter him the moment Zack died._

_Seeing Zack appear before him in spirit form helped, too._

_Linda looked over at the vibrantly dressed teens. They were all dry-eyed, while the rest of the mourners shed tears at the loss of life. Everyone else was dressed in appropriately somber, dark clothes, but they were dressed no differently than usual, in fact being more color-oriented than usual. She could hear whispers from the other gathered, disapproving of their appearance._

_Aunt Janice sniffed. "What do they think they're doing? Don't they know how to behave at a funeral?"_

_Linda narrowed her eyes. She had never fully approved of Zack's friends. They engaged in far too risky behavior, especially with a certain extracurricular activity…_

Linda shook herself out of her memory and stepped back. "Why don't you come inside? Let me take your jacket."

Tommy nodded and tried to not feel like he was walking to his execution.

* * *

_Jason, Billy, Tommy, Adam, Rocky, and Curtis took their seats at the front, as the designated pallbearers. An outsider might have thought that the boys' faces were carved from marble, so still and blank were they. On Curtis, it was an emotional shut down from losing his cousin, but on the others it was something else. It was the same expression they had worn under their helmets when the battle drew on too long, with too many casualties. It was the same expression they wore when their lives fell apart around them because they sacrificed too much to Rangering._

_It was an expression that said life could screw them over and they'd still remain standing._

_The funeral was quiet and somber, as funerals generally were. The girls could bee seen with their eyes lowered, a tear trailing down their cheeks. They had shed most of their tears at the wake and in private. Later, none of the Rangers could say what had happened during the funeral, but they would remember Linda's dark glare boring into the backs of their skulls._

_The boys' breaking point didn't come until the six of them were carrying the casket out to the hearse. Curtis didn't quite manage to choke back his sob, and the fading afternoon light showed a glistening trail on the other boys' faces._

_They had borne the weight of the world on their shoulders daily, but nothing was heavier than the body of a dead friend._

* * *

Tommy looked around the walls as Linda led him through to the dining room. Ethan's house was a fairly large one, as – last he had heard, anyway – Linda had a very well-paying job as an engineer for ICOP. The walls were lined with family pictures of Linda, Ethan, and Ethan's father, along with the numerous awards Ethan had won as a gamer and various other computer programming competitions.

His gaze caught on a photo of a young man who was _not_ a James and couldn't help but stare. The picture was a side profile of a dark-skinned young man with short-cropped black hair. He wore a black T-shirt with a brightly-colored vest with red, yellow, blue, green, and pink stripes. One hand held his headphones to his ear and his lips where parted slightly, as if he had been singing out loud when the picture had been taken.

"It's one of the few pictures that has him alone," Linda commented when she noticed that Tommy had stopped, "All the others had one of you, or someone else in our family with him."

"Zack was a really big people person. Isn't that the same picture you used at the wake?"

Linda simply turned around and kept walking. Tommy looked at the portrait a moment more, a fond smile playing across his lips, before he followed Linda.

* * *

The meal was awkward. How could it not be, when the two of them had Zack's funeral hanging over their heads? Tommy could tell Linda's low opinion of him hadn't changed over the years, and he was too wary of setting off her temper to ask outright what she wanted to meet him for.

"This is really good," Tommy commented, indicating the food, "Thank you for having me over." _There, be nice and polite. She can't find anything wrong with that, can she?_

Linda gave him a brief smile. "Thank you. I don't imagine you get much well-cooked food, living on your own…"

Tommy chuckled and shook his head. "Not on this level, no. I'm fine as long as I can use a microwave, but beyond that my culinary skills are rather lackluster."

Linda nodded. "Yes, I've noticed the same with Ethan. I worry how he'll manage when he goes off to college."

"Ethan? I think he'll be alright. He's applying to Caltech, Reefside Tech, Cal Berkeley, and Stanford, isn't he?"

"That's right. He's loved working with computers ever since he first saw my office computer when he was seven. Sometimes, I think he knows more about my computer than I do!"

Tommy chuckled. Ethan probably did. Within a month and a half, Ethan was almost as proficient at using Tommy's computer and all the assorted programs on it as Tommy himself was. Hayley was thrilled to work with him.

There was a lull in the conversation, but the hair on the back Tommy's neck rose as he felt Linda's gaze bore into him. A storm was going to break soon.

* * *

_"Is there a reason you've been glaring at us for the past few hours?" Jason asked mildly._

_Tommy hissed and pulled back on Jason's arm. Jason shook him off. "No, bro. Linda's been glaring at us ever since we got here, and I'd like to know why."_

_Linda raised and eyebrow. "You really have no idea? And here we all thought you were good people, who would know to respect the dead."_

_Jason's eyes narrowed and Tommy bristled. The other Rangers, sensing their teammates' distress, came up beside them._

_"Excuse me?" Jason ground out._

_"Look at you! Do you think this is some kind of joke?! My little brother is dead, and you're all dressed as if you're going to a thrice-d***** carnival!"_

_The Rangers looked down at their clothes and then back up at Linda and the other mourners._

_"My word," Linda said in disgust, "You really don't see anything wrong with your apparel, do you?"_

_How were they to explain this to her? How were they to explain that most of them couldn't wear black, not now, because it wasn't theirs to wear. Black was Zack's color, just like pink was Kim's. Only Adam, as the second Black Ranger, and Jason had any claim to the color. How could they explain to someone who had never borne the Power that colors were important, and that wearing their own colors gave them strength in the face of adversity?_

_"Black's not ours to wear," Rocky replied simply, "It's Zack's. We honor him by wearing our own colors, by affirming his legacy."_

* * *

"You know, I was very surprised when Ethan came home singing praises about his science teacher," Linda commented after a while.

Tommy paused and looked Linda curiously. She continued, "For the longest time, Ethan's always been pretty bored in class. None of the teachers could challenge him."

_To be honest, I think he still gets a little bored in my class, if how often I see him try and sneak a video game under the desk is anything to go by._

"You could have knocked me over with a feather when I found out it was _you_ he was talking about."

Tommy gave her a tight smile. "Yeah? People are pretty surprised when they find out I'm a science teacher."

"And a Doctor," Linda added, looking off into the distance, remembering Tommy as a teenager, "I must confess, I'm surprised you and your friends got as far as you did in life, given how… preoccupied… you were during high school."

_Preoccupied keeping you and the rest of humanity alive, you mean._

"Life's been god to us, I suppose. Cosmic balance and all that."

_Well, it had better be balanced. After everything the Rangers have sacrificed for this planet, they'd better be able to lead good lives after hanging up their morphers._

"Mmm… Where did you graduate from, if you don't mind my asking?"

"I got my Bachelor's from Angel Grove University, my Masters from UCLA, and my PhD from UC Irvine."

Linda's eyebrows rose. "That's rather impressive. No teaching certificate, though?"

Tommy winced. "Ah, no, not yet. But, teaching does come pretty naturally to me."

Linda pursed her lips for a moment. "Yes," she remarked absently, "I seem to remember you teaching young children martial arts. Quite a difference, though, isn't it?"

Tommy cleared his throat. "To be honest, no it really isn't. Martial arts is about building self-confidence and giving people the tools to defend themselves. In my classes, I'm teaching my students to be confident in their own knowledge and giving them the tools to survive and learn more once they hit college."

Linda looked at Tommy as if she'd never seen him before, surprised to hear him speak so passionately.

"I see. Though, I daresay you're teaching my son to survive other things, as well."

_And here it comes._

"I'm not sure what you mean," Tommy replied evasively.

Linda rolled her eyes. "Don't play games with me, Oliver. You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about: My son, the Blue Ranger."

Tommy swallowed. "And what does that have to do with me?"

_I'm dead. I'm so dead._

"Why don't you tell me, _Black Ranger_? You think I don't know how to recognize a Ranger? It's not that difficult with the wounds that appear and disappear randomly, the lies, the sudden disappearances, and oh, let's not forget, the monochromatic wardrobes! You think I wouldn't notice when my son suddenly decides to wear all blue, all the time?"

Linda broke off, laughing harshly. "It's funny. You'll wear black now, but you wouldn't wear it to my little brother's funeral."

Tommy clenched his fists, mentally counting back from fifty.

"We told you before, black wasn't ours to wear."

Linda scoffed, "Oh, and it is now?"

"Black was Zack's color," Tommy ground out, "We were honoring him."

"How? By coming in dressed like a Christmas tree?!"

_Switch languages and keep counting, Oliver. Do NOT respond._

"You and your friends made a mockery out of Zack's funeral!"

Tommy control snapped and he barely kept himself from tackling Linda and pinning her against the wall. "Don't. You. _Dare_. I don't care _what_ you think of me, Linda, but don't _ever_ say that I would dishonor my friends."

"You have a strange definition of honor, then," Linda rebutted, "If it means indulging in your color fetish at a friend's funeral."

"You know what, Linda, you have no idea what happens to Rangers when they wear someone else's colors! It's like sticking a magnet next to a computer! The less of our own color we wear, the less we're able to function. Billy can give you a long, scientific explanation involving electromagnetism and wavelengths of light, but we just call it resonance. We couldn't even hold it together wearing our own colors at the funeral, Linda! You don't want to know what would have happened if we'd been wearing all black like the other mourners."

Linda stared at Tommy in shock after he finished his tirade. Then, her face hardened. "So what? You get screwed over by being a Ranger, so you decide to foist your weakness on my son?"

Tommy clenched and unclenched his fists. "Ethan did not become a Ranger by my choosing, Linda, but by the will of a force bigger than me, than all of us. Believe it or not, he _is_ the best person to become Blue Ranger."

"He's a child!" Linda exclaimed, slamming her palms down on the table and shooting up. "_My child_, and you're sending him out to die!"

An image of Ethan lying dead on the ground with a broken neck flashed through his mind as Tommy shot up opposite Linda.

"I'm not sending him out to die!"

"How? Ethan's spent his life in front of a computer; he doesn't know how to fight!"

"You do realize he's still alive, right? How do you think he's survived this long without being able to fight?"

Linda grit her teeth. "Oh, and I suppose _you've_ trained him."

Tommy breathed out heavily, forcing himself to uncurl his fingers. "I'm helping him hone the abilities he gains from bearing the Power."

"What _abilities_? Will they help him in the real world? Are they going to get him into a good college? Are they going to keep him from getting his heart broken? They sure as H*** didn't help Zack!"

Tommy flinched back, as if physically struck. Linda continued, "The only thing being a Ranger ever did for Zack was take away his innocence, make him more jaded and reckless."

"That's not true!" Tommy cut in, "If you really believe that, you don't – didn't know Zack at all. He loved life, and being a Ranger only made him more aware of how amazing it was. Why do you think he went to the Peace Conference? He saw the people around him suffering, and he wanted to make a difference. Rangers can protect people against monsters, but we can't do anything about their hearts. Being a Ranger taught Zack that, and gave him the courage and self-confidence to go out and change things."

"Is that what you expect of my son, then?" Linda asked tightly.

"I don't expect anything more from Ethan that what he can give," Tommy replied quietly.

"Do you expect him to fight?"

Tommy stared at Linda, trying to get a reading on her expression, to find the best way to answer her question. Linda stared back at him, her gaze cold and stony. Well, he was dead either way.

"Yes," Tommy replied finally, "Because I know he's capable."

Tommy could practically see Linda's rage spike again.

"What do you know?" she demanded, "You met him barely two months ago! You know nothing about my son!"

"I know how well he can fight, because I've seen him fight, and I've fought beside him. And don't tell me I know nothing about him, the kid spends half his free time in my house!"

"I don't care," Linda replied, her voice shaking with anger, "What you think you know about my son. I will not let him be a Ranger. I will not let him risk his life every day. Find someone else."

"I can't do that, Linda! The Power chose _Ethan_. There is _no one_ else in the _world_ better to be Blue Ranger than him!"

"That's not my problem. My priority is my son."

Tommy ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Linda, Ethan's not fighting on his own. He's got teammates beside him who would give their lives to protect him in a heartbeat."

"And if such a situation does occur? How is he supposed to deal with the emotional aftermath?"

Tommy swallowed. Losing a team member was hard, no matter what the circumstances. "Such a situation _won't_ occur."

Linda crossed her arms. "Won't it? I've seen Ranger battles before. Most commonly, they fight against hordes of foot soldiers _before_ they morph. It wouldn't take much to go wrong. A misplaced punch, a kick landing a fraction of a second too late or a few inches too far, and I'm looking at another coffin with my family inside."

"Ethan is not going to die fighting Tyrannodrones," Tommy replied irritatedly, "Those things are nowhere near capable of murder. I would know, I helped build them."

Tommy knew he was making a mistake even as the words were leaving his mouth, but anger and high tension make people do stupid things. He didn't realize Linda was going to slap him until he was staring at the other side of the room, his cheek burning.

_I probably deserved that._

"You helped build them?" Linda hissed, "_You're_ the reason those things are out terrorizing Reefside? You _b******_, what the H*** were you thinking? What, did you never watch Jurassic Park?"

Tommy raised an eyebrow and scowled. "You're seriously going to throw Jurassic Park at me?"

"If the shoe fits! How can you even show your face, you – you-"

"I – I what?" Tommy shot back, "What am I, Linda? A monster? A fool? Please, enlighten me, and then pray tell me how anything you say is different from what I've already said to myself."

Linda's hand came up to slap him again, but Tommy was ready for her and caught her wrist. He wasn't, however, ready for her other hand to come up and slap his other cheek.

Linda jerked out of Tommy's grasp and hissed, "You will _not_ drag my son into fixing your mistakes, Oliver. Ethan had better not be a Ranger twenty-four hours from now, or that restraining order I threatened you with _won't_ be a threat anymore."

Tommy swallowed. And here he'd been hoping she'd forgotten about that.

"Now get out of my house."

* * *

_"No! You freaks stay away from my family!"_

_The eight former Rangers froze where they were. Adam, Tommy, and Jason were standing behind Billy, who was kneeling in front of Zack's grave. Rocky was kneeling beside Tanya, who had fainted earlier due to an allergic reaction to a bug bite. Kat was a few feet away from them, holding a glass of water. Kim was in from of Curtis, her hand frozen in mid-air, on its way to Curtis' shoulder. Linda stood protectively between Kim and Curtis, glaring daggers at Kim._

_"Li-"_

_"Don't," Linda snarled, "Whatever you're going to say, just don't. This family doesn't need more of your influence!"_

_Kim seemed to crumple in on herself, her arm lowering. Jason appeared at her side immediately. "Is there a problem here? What's the matter, Linda?"_

_"You! You people are what's the matter! You bring death and destruction wherever you go, and I want you to stay away from my family!"_

_Linda's eyes were bloodshot and her face tearstained._

_"That was uncalled for, Linda!" Jason responded._

_"The H*** it was! If I ever see any of you near my family again, I will not hesitate to get a restraining order placed on you!"_

_Jason's eyes widened. Tommy came up beside him and said quietly, "Bro, we're causing a scene. We need to get out of here."_

_Jason was torn. Part of him agreed with his best friend, and another part of him wanted to stay and hash things out with Linda. In the end, it was Kim who settled things._

_"Tommy's right. We've paid our respects; let's get out of here. We didn't come to cause problems for anyone."_

_Jason nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Alright, let's go."_

* * *

Hayley was surprised when Tommy entered her café in the early afternoon. She wasn't going to be closing up for a few hours yet.

"Tommy! Hey, what can I get you?"

Tommy smiled wanly at her and replied, "A listening ear and a way not to lose my job would be nice."

Hayley's eyebrows rose. "Well, I can give you the first easy enough. Come on back and tell me what happened."

"You remember my friend Zack, whose funeral I went to the summer of 2002?" Tommy asked as they found a secluded area to talk.

"I remember you telling me that his sister practically chased you off," Hayley replied.

"His sister happens to be Ethan's mother."

Hayley froze and stared at Tommy. "Well. I can't say I saw that one coming."

Tommy smirked. "What, the great Hayley Ziktor, Fount of All Information, doesn't know something? Pigs must be flying."

Hayley punched Tommy's arm lightly. "Don't be facetious, Tommy, it doesn't suit you. Now, tell me why your friend's sister being Ethan's mother is significant, and how that relates to you losing your job."

Tommy rubbed his arm and related to his friend the meeting he'd just left. Hayley was silent for a few moments after he finished.

"She slapped you? Twice?"

"She tried three times."

Hayley mused, "You were probably giving off predator vibes…"

Tommy's eyebrows rose. "I'm sorry, what now?"

"Predator vibes," Hayley explained, a hint of amusement in her voice, "Whenever you get tense, or angry, your defense mechanism is to start sending out predator vibes and scare the crap out of everyone else. According to Billy, most of the Rangers do it."

_Billy, you and I need to have a discussion on what it is appropriate to reveal to your non-Ranger cousin, regardless of how close you are to her._

"So, your predator vibes put Linda on edge, and she slapped you, but that's not really important. You're more worried about the restraining order issue, aren't you?"

"Seeing as it could cost me my job, yes," Tommy replied dryly.

Hayley shook her head. "It's an empty threat, Tommy. She would need a judge to sign off on a temporary restraining order before the hearing, and after the speeches you gave at the Drescott House Protests, and your government connections, no judge in Reefside is going sign off on a restraining order against you."

Tommy shook his head. "Even her trying to file could get me in trouble. We lost Kavars at AGH just for that."

"Well, Angel Grove a decade ago was more conservative than Reefside is now. You'll be fine."

_We can hope._

Hayley narrowed her eyes as she watched Tommy pick at the cuff of his jacket. There was still something that was bothering him, something he wasn't telling her.

"What's going on, Tommy? Something's still bothering you."

Tommy blinked in surprise. How did she know that? He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Linda's right, you know. Ethan's just a kid, and he's got college to worry about. He shouldn't have to be fighting monsters and risking his life."

"Oh, but you, who actually have a career, should?"

"I have more experience," Tommy pointed out, "I've been doing this a long time."

Hayley sighed. "Tommy, you can't control whom the Power chooses, you know that. Ethan's a Ranger because he was destined to be."

"That doesn't make it right… That doesn't negate the fact that I helped put those monsters out there…"

"Tommy, you have to stop blaming yourself! You were a grad student; there was no way you could have known!"

_That's not really an excuse…_

"What am I supposed to tell Ethan?" Tommy said eventually.

Hayley scoffed, "Right now, you could tell him you're sleeping with his mother, and he wouldn't notice. He's too engrossed in that video game of his – Wizard Wood."

_Don't tempt me._

"Hmm… Hey, I think Trent's looking for you."

Sure enough, the young man was hovering by the counter, scanning the café. He waved when he spotted Hayley.

"Looks like it's back to work for me," Hayley commented.

"Have fun," Tommy replied, "I'll be back in a few hours to help you close up."

"Actually, Ethan's staying after and offered to help, so you don't have to come back."

"Alright, see you later, then. I'm going to go talk to Ethan."

"Try to, you mean," Hayley joked as they parted ways.

Tommy found Ethan sitting in a back corner of the café, hunched over in front of the computer monitor.

"Hey, Ethan, how's it going?"

"Great, great," Ethan muttered, not looking away from his game.

_You sound like a zombie, Ethan. This is why people say video games are bad for you._

"So, I just got done meeting with your mother," Tommy said, a note of mischief creeping into his voice, "She said she'd pay me a million dollars to sleep with her."

"Uh-huh, that's nice," Ethan mumbled in reply.

Tommy bit his lip and choked back a laugh.

"You think I should take her up on her offer?"

"Uh-huh, yeah, sure – YES! LEVEL CLEARED, BABY!"

Ethan punched the air excitedly and turned to Tommy. "Oh, hey, Dr. Oliver! When did you get here?"

This time Tommy couldn't hold his laughter back. Ethan looked at him, confused.

"What?"

Tommy shook his head, controlling his mirth. "Nothing, never mind. Having fun?"

"You could say that," Ethan replied with a grin, "Wizard Wood is only _the_ most epic video game ever created, and the first player to get through all the levels and crack the code gets to test the game in the series. I mean, beta-testing for Wizard Wood II? How cool would _that_ be?! But anyway, did you need something?"

Tommy smiled at Ethan's enthusiasm and replied, "It can wait. Good luck with your game. I'll see you in a bit for training, alright?"

"Yeah, sure thing, Dr. O," Ethan said, turning back to his game, "I'll see you then."

* * *

A/N: Alrighty then... Looking back, I'm not too happy about how the chapter breaks up. The flashbacks looked longer when I typed this up... Some stuff I should probably address:

ICOP: ICOP is a real company. They produce surveillance technology.

College: All the colleges mentioned except for Reefside Tech and Angel Grove University are real. College is a big part of a senior's life, and since I'm making the Rangers seniors, this will be a recurring topic for a while. As you'll find out, I can be pretty anal-retentive about details.

Restraining orders: The procedure Hayley explained is accurate. In my anal-retentiveness, I looked up the laws concerning restraining orders in California.

Anyway, I don't know how many of you actually care, but if you have any questions/comments, let me know. Please leave your reviews at the end of the next chapter.


	9. Game On

A/N: And here we have 'Game On' itself. I'm so relieved this is finally done. I can now go focus on the rest of my life.

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers. I just happen to have several of them living in my head.

* * *

**Game On:**

When Tommy returned home, he nearly ran his Jeep into a tree as he swerved sharply to avoid hitting three familiar dinosaur-robot hybrids. Getting out, he found himself knocked off his feet by three very agitated Raptor Riders.

"Hey! That's enough, all three of you," he said sharply, and they backed off.

Picking himself up, Tommy focused on sending out calming emotions, and asked, "What is going on with you three?"

The agitation and panic he received in response nearly knocked him off his feet again.

"Hey, hey! It's okay, it's okay, calm down… That's it, just calm down… Jeez, what has got you so spooked?"

Tommy shook his head, unable to decipher the response he got from the Raptors.

"Okay, okay, I'll take care of it… Whatever it is. Now, you three need to get back into the woods. There's a highway behind me, and people _will_ see you," Tommy commented as he tried to convey to the Raptors the urgency of staying hidden.

Apparently, it worked, and the Raptors took off into the woods. Tommy shook his head as they disappeared and climbed back into his Jeep to drive the rest of the way home, wondering what else could go wrong that day.

_Why do I feel like I just jinxed myself?_

* * *

A few hours later, Tommy was surprised to see only Conner and Kira standing in front of Conner's car.

"No Ethan?" he said by way of greeting

The teens waved in response and Kira replied, "He said was already on his way."

_Eh, he was staying after to help Hayley, I'll give him a few more minutes._

"Alright, go grab the Raptor Cycles and meet me in the clearing we used last time," Tommy replied.

"Hey, Dr. O, was it just me, or were the Raptor Riders running around in the woods as we drove in," Conner asked.

Tommy sighed. "Still? Something's got them spooked pretty badly. I think they were probably just reacting to your presence. Try summoning them."

Conner and Kira's eyes slid out of focus for a moment, Kira's more so than Conner's.

_Kira's still going heavily by instinct, though Conner seems to have better conscious control. That's something to keep in mind to work on later._

The Red and Yellow Raptor Riders darted out in front of their owners. Conner scratched the Red Raptor under its chin and murmured soothingly as Kira said, "Wow, they really are bothered by something. They're hungry, too."

Tommy shook his head. "Go eat. Nothing's going to get you out in the forest… The south entrance to the lab is open if anything _does_ try."

The Raptors seemed appeased by that and darted off to hunt for food. Tommy turned back to the teens.

"Come on, let's get started. I want you guys to do laps on the Raptor Cycles, get used to handling them, while we wait for Ethan."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, they were _still_ waiting on Ethan.

Conner and Kira parked their bikes in front of an irritated Tommy, who asked, "So where's Ethan?"

"We should have grabbed him from the cyber café," Kira said apologetically, "Sorry, Dr. O."

Tommy shook his head. _Ethan, you're going to get me in so much trouble…_

"Look, what's the big deal, anyway?" Conner asked, "I mean, it's just practice."

_You did not just ask me that, McKnight. 'Just practice,' really? You're an athlete; you know exactly what the 'big deal' is._

"Training is just as important as the real deal," Tommy replied, "You never know when you might be attacked."

Right on cue, Tommy found himself flying forward, courtesy of Zeltrax's foot.

_I should have seen that coming._

"Well, couldn't have planned that better," he commented as he and his students faced Zeltrax and a group of Tyrannodrones.

"Attack!" Zeltrax ordered, and the battle commenced.

_Alright, Zeltrax, what do you want?_

Tommy found his punches and kicks being blocked, but at least Zeltrax didn't make any contact either – until a kick to the chest.

_Note to self: Follow up with a shield next time. Running up the tree and jumping back down leaves my front exposed._

Just then, Kira fell against her Raptor Cycle, and commented, "How do you feel about a ride in the country?"

"Good day for it," Conner replied, as he broke away from his own fight.

Tommy picked himself and nodded to the teens. _Well, this is one way you can get practice handling the Cycles._

"DinoThunder, Power up!"

Tommy turned to Zeltrax once morphed and drew his Brachio Staff. _Alright, Zeltrax, show me what you've got._

Staff met sword again and again as the two of them fought against the backdrop of the Red and Yellow Rangers shooting lasers from the Raptor Cycles. The air seemed to ripple with the force of their clash, sending both combatants flying to the ground.

Tommy picked himself up, challenging, "Come on!"

Zeltrax stumbled back and disappeared into an Invisiportal.

"Guess not," Tommy commented.

"That was seriously random," Conner said as the three of them regrouped.

"That was probably a diversion," Tommy replied, "You guys go to the café and get Ethan. Meet me at the lab."

"Alright."

"You got it!"

* * *

A few minutes later, Hayley entered the basement of 1992 Valencia Drive to see Tommy hard at work. Hearing her footsteps, he looked up with a smile and waved her over.

"Hey, Hayley! Come take a look at this."

"What am I looking at?" Hayley asked as she set her bag down and pulled up a chair beside Tommy.

"Ryan sent these over to me earlier today. Check out these readings – there might be another DinoGem out there!"

Hayley's eyes widened. "So it wasn't Marevus' influence?"

"Doesn't look like it anymore."

Hayley took over the keyboard and started typing, analyzing the data. "Cam, Angela, and I were actually talking about this a while back… locating sources of Power, like the nexus Lightspeed tapped into…"

Tommy smiled fondly as his friend immersed herself in her work. As she worked, he continued scanning the city, searching for his teens and any threats Mesogog may have created.

Idly, he asked, "Hayley, do we have the simulation software up and running?"

"No, not yet. There's still some debugging I want to do before you have the teens use it. Why? Were you planning on working with it today?"

"I was thinking about it, yeah. I think I'll just have them do laps on the Raptor Cycles and work on hand-to-hand combat once they get back."

"Oh, hey, that reminds me!" Hayley exclaimed, "What's up with the Raptor Riders? They were acting strange when I came in."

Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose. "I have no idea. They've been doing it since yesterday evening, but I haven't been able to get a clear answer out of them. Whatever it is has just got them completely spooked."

Hayley was about to reply when an alert sounded from Tommy's monitor.

"Oh, no, Ethan!"

"What's going on?" Hayley demanded.

"We just lost Ethan's signal," Tommy replied, typing quickly, "He was in the café and then, he just vanished. And – oh, you've got to be kidding me."

Hayley frowned at the picture of the monster that came up. "What _is_ that?"

"Whatever it is, I'll bet it had something to do with Ethan's disappearance. Linda's going to kill me…"

Hayley rolled her eyes. "Stop worrying about your Blue's mother and move over. I'll see if I can get into the Cyberspace's surveillance. I knew I would regret leaving Ethan to lock up!"

Just then, Conner's voice came across, saying, "Dr. O, we found one of Mesogog's buddies, but no Ethan."

Tommy frowned and continued typing, analyzing the monster. There was a definite tie to the Blue Ranger's signal, though the energy readings were too weak to glean much information from.

"I'm getting a reading on him," Tommy replied, "Keep looking while I try to pinpoint the signal."

"Alright, I have surveillance up," Hayley announced, "Here's the inside of the café, and here are Conner and Kira – ooh, that did not look fun."

Tommy winced as Conner hit the wall and cursed under his breath. "Hold on just a little longer, Conner… Something's blocking me from getting a hold of Ethan."

Hayley looked over to the other monitor, her eyes widening. "Tommy, that's a firewall. More importantly, that's Wizard Wood's firewall!"

"I'm not even going to ask how you know that. Can you get through it?"

"I can try," Hayley replied, "You keep an eye on Conner and Kira."

Tommy watched as Kira entered the Cyberspace and opened up a link with her communicator. Before he could tell her to be careful, though, a blue light sucked her into the computer.

"Well, at least now we know where Ethan went," Tommy muttered, "The open link allows me to track Kira's signal. Hayley, there any back doors I can use? I've got about thirty seconds before I lose Kira's signal."

"And… yes! I'm through."

And then they lost the signal.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Hayley exclaimed angrily, "Since when does Wizard Wood have a secondary firewall?!"

"What if it wasn't Wizard Wood, but that machine by the computer?" Tommy asked.

Hayley sighed. "I'd need to actually see the machine to be able to do anything – what?"

Tommy was back typing. "Ethan and Kira just morphed. I can track that, regardless of any obstacles except for three substances in the known Universe, none of which are present in this galaxy – Got them."

It turned out he didn't need to, as Conner was blasted into the café, and sent a jolt through the machine, releasing the two Rangers and their opponents.

Hayley snorted. "Conner certainly has a knack for serendipitous jolts. Oh, Ethan you'd be _lucky_ if 'losing it' was all I'd do."

"Hayley, you cannot kill, maim, or torture my Blue."

"Look at my café! Do you have any idea how much that's going to cost?!"

"Hayley. Hayley, look at me," Tommy said calmly.

Once he had his friend's attention, he continued, "Your café is going to be fine. Between us, we have more than enough funds to cover the damage, alright? So relax. Everything's going to be okay."

Hayley scowled, but then breathed deeply and held up her hands. "Alright, I'm calm now. I'm just going to go bankrupt by the end of the month, but I'm _calm_."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "I'm going to get rid of the surveillance footage so that you'll stop worrying."

"Tommy!" Hayley protested as he closed those windows.

_Hayley, are you pouting at me?_

Seeing the monster's energy reading disappear, Tommy opened up link to the teens.

"Everyone alright? All organs and appendages where they're supposed to be?"

"Uh, yeah, we're good, Dr. O," Conner replied.

"Good. Head back to the lab, then. We need to talk."

* * *

"Conner's car just turned off the highway," Hayley informed him a while later.

Tommy looked up, and uncomfortable feeling coming over him as glanced at the other monitor to the see the teens. His hackles rose when he saw the fourth person coming with his students.

_Oh no. You are NOT bringing him into my house._

He had come a long way from his instinctive fear and hatred of magic – a result of his tenure under Rita – to the point that he had developed his own latent abilities. However, the newcomer's magic was uncomfortably familiar, too much like the Wizard of Deception's.

"Tommy, relax," Hayley soothed, "You know the teens wouldn't bring an enemy here without trying to warn you somehow."

"I don't care," Tommy replied flatly, "He's not coming into my house."

When Conner parked his car in front of his teacher's house, after a long ride of telling Beldorf _not to touch anything_, he was surprised to see Hayley standing on the porch beside Tommy, who had his arms crossed and a dark glare on his face.

"Man, Dr. O looks kind of mad," Ethan commented.

"Well, you missed practice, and we did let the monster get away," Kira replied, "I'd be kind of mad, too, if I were him."

The three teens waved their hands in greeting, just as Beldorf ran into an invisible wall.

"Huh?!"

"Yeah," Tommy said flatly, as Beldorf prodded the forcefield, "That wizard isn't getting within twenty feet of my property."

"Chill, Dr. O," Ethan said, "Beldorf's a good guy."

_Easy for you to say. You've never had to deal with Rita, Lokar, or the Wizard of Deception. Especially the Wizard of Deception._

"My house, my rules."

It was one of the few times he had asserted that rule. The other time was when telling the teens that they could hang out in his house all they wanted as long as they didn't break anything, or use it as an excuse not to do homework.

Hayley slapped Tommy upside the head lightly. "Tommy, stop being so paranoid. Beldorf's energies are clean."

Tommy narrowed his eyes, analyzing the wizard. There were definite differences between his magic and the Wizard of Deception's. There was also something else in his magic that he couldn't identify, something that reminded him of computers and long hours staring at lines of code with Hayley.

_I'm going to regret this at some point._

"_Drexonus_," Tommy called out, deactivating the shield.

Hayley sighed and motioned for Beldorf to move forward. Tommy turned his gaze on his students, inwardly smirking when it took all of three seconds for them to start squirming.

"So, who wants to explain to me what just happened?"

Conner and Kira looked at Ethan, who gulped. "Um, well, you see, Dr. O… So, Wizard Wood, right? And with the code… I-kind-of-got-distracted-and-the-monster-snuck-up-behind-me-and-hit-the-machine-and-sent-me-into-the-game-and-then-we-were-all-so-busy-fighting-the-triptoids-that-it-got-away-please-dont-kill-me!"

There was a moment of silence as everyone processed Ethan's rushed speech. Tommy closed his eyes, a headache building, and ordered, "Downstairs, now. Give the machine to Hayley."

Ethan sheepishly handed the mess of plastic and wires to Hayley, who leveled a glare of her own at him.

"You sure know how to lock up, huh, Ethan?"

Ethan stared at his shoes. "Sorry, Hayley."

She simply shook her head and walked back to the basement. She and Tommy sat back down in front of the computers, with her hooking up the machine while the teens pulled up stools and sat in front of Tommy.

"Can you use it to get past the firewalls?" Tommy asked.

"I'll see if I can gain access by linking it to our main power supply."

Tommy turned back to the teens with a sigh. "So let me get this straight: you were so caught up in a _video game_, that you let a monster sneak up behind you?"

Conner and Kira looked to Ethan who shrugged and defended, "It's a pretty tight game, Dr. O!"

_I don't really care how 'tight' it is, Ethan, if you lose focus, you're going to get yourself into major trouble._

"You have to keep your head in _this_ game at all times. I know it can be hard, it can be really dangerous, too. That's why you've got to-"

Tommy switched languages the moment he saw Beldorf's magic race towards him, chanting a shield spell. It didn't work, but he did find out what Beldorf had done to him.

Subtly signaling Hayley to keep working, Tommy snarled, "You have ten seconds to remove the spell, you purple freak! I _know_ you can hear me, even if the others can't."

Tapping into his own magic, he summoned a small brown disk into his fist, out of sight from the others. He kept a steady chant going as Conner and Kira pretended to pay attention and Ethan turned back to Beldorf.

"Beldorf, give him his mouth back!"

_Yes, Beldorf, give me my mouth back and I might decide not to waste you where you stand._

The wizard wrinkled his nose and Conner muttered, "Can you wait until after midterms?"

_I'll get you for that, McKnight._

"Beldorf!"

"Killjoy," Beldorf muttered, and he cancelled the spell.

Tommy had finished his own spell and switched back to English, saying, "Okay, let's not do that again, _either of you_."

Tommy turned to Conner. "McKnight, you just earned yourself another five hundred words on that essay on respect."

Ignoring Conner's protests, Tommy then turned to Beldorf, revealing the brown disk. "You know what this is?"

Beldorf paled. "You wouldn't!"

Tommy gave him a wicked, shark-like grin. "Oh, I already have."

"Dr. Oliver, I'm really sorry," Ethan said, trying to appease his teacher, "I've definitely learned my lesson."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "I wasn't born yesterday, Ethan. Don't apologize unless you mean it."

Ethan's jaw dropped and Hayley cut in, "You know, this might not be a total loss."

Tommy turned back to his friend. "What do you mean?"

"That creature's energy left a residual power pulse. If I recalibrate the settings, I might be able to use this thing to send to Beldorf back."

_Oh thank goodness. I might not have to kill him, after all._

"You mean, I did something right?" Ethan said excitedly.

_Looks like, kid, but you're not off the hook yet._

"You may have gotten lucky," Tommy corrected, "But right now, we better deal with the creature on the loose. Kira, check the monitors and see if you can find him."

"Right," Kira replied as she got up.

Tommy pointed at Beldorf. "You, don't touch anything. Conner, keep an eye on him."

"Sure, Dr. O."

"Ethan, come with me. We need to have talk, _without_ your wizard friend's interference."

Ethan swallowed and followed Tommy to a secluded area of the lab.

"Dr. O, I really _am_ sorry," Ethan said, "I never meant for any of this to happen."

Tommy sighed. "I know you didn't, Ethan, but that doesn't change the fact that it _did_. I know being a Ranger is hard, and sometimes, you just need a break, and I know you had a life you were very happy with before becoming a Ranger, but if you lose focus now, it could cost you dearly – it could cost all of us."

Ethan stared at spot past Tommy's left elbow, nodding slightly.

"Ethan, look at me, please. Eye contact, not staring off into the distance past my left elbow."

"Are you going to make me give up my morpher?" the teen asked, not looking up.

Tommy shook his head and replied gently, "No, not for this. And besides, the Power's yours, Ethan. No one can take it from your unless you let them."

Ethan brought his eyes up to meet his teacher's and Tommy continued, "I'm not going to ask you to be a Super Ranger, or fight alone, never. But I _am_ going to ask that we can count on you, rely on you to keep your head in the game. You're a brilliant young man, Ethan, but all that goes to waste if you lose focus."

Ethan nodded, more decisively this time, and replied, "It won't happen again, Dr. Oliver."

And this time, Tommy knew he meant it. He smiled and clasped Ethan's shoulder gently. "That's all I ask. Now, go on, I'm sure Hayley could use your help."

Ethan flashed him a grin before moving towards the redhead. Tommy surveyed the rest of his basement. Kira was scanning the city. Conner was backing away from Beldorf, his gaze trained on the wizard's wand.

_Oh, not a chance, you little freak._

Tommy strode over to them and wrapped his hand around the end of Beldorf's wand. "I would think _very_ carefully about what you're about to do, Beldorf, because if you try to hurt one of my Rangers, the results _won't_ be pretty."

Since the coin was still in Tommy's hand, if Beldorf tried to go through with the spell, his wand would explode – and possibly take out his arm, depending on the strength of the spell.

"I meant him no harm," Beldorf protested warily.

_Right, that's why Conner's trying to use me as a shield._

"Uh, no offense, dude, but I don't want your magic anywhere _near_ me," Conner responded.

_I rest my case._

Tommy forced Beldorf's arm down and stalked forward, pushing the frightened wizard back. "I think your definition of 'harm' is vastly different from mine."

Suddenly a strange expression crossed Beldorf's face and the voice that spoke next wasn't quite his own. "You really think a Binding Coin will work on a computer program?"

Tommy narrowed his eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep my teens from harm."

A crafty smile spread across the wizard's face and he asked in his not-quite-his-own voice, "Whatever it takes? Even if using magic in such a magically-dry environment weakens you?"

Tommy suddenly found Beldorf's wand pressed against his neck, poised to kill. He glared darkly and flared his aura, causing the wizard to falter. He wrenched Beldorf's arm away and stepped up to him so that he could murmur in his ear.

"I don't care if it bleeds me dry, as long as my teens are kept from harm. If you put even one toe out of line, Beldorf – or whoever it is that's riding you right now – I will snap your wand, and instead of binding your powers, I will strip the flesh from your bones and send you to the darkest depths of the Underworld. My Rangers' safety is my highest priority, and I will _not_ let you become a threat to them."

"Very well, Dragonkin," Beldorf said, his voice sounding less like his own than ever.

Tommy pushed him back and demanded, "How do you know that word?!"

Apparently, Beldorf was back to himself, though, and he replied, "Magic is as Magic does. I'll be good, I promise."

Tommy snorted and stepped away. "See that you do. I don't make empty threats."

* * *

Half an hour later, when the alarms sounded, the three teens were hovering by the monitors, and Tommy was in the back looking for aspirin for his headache.

"Looks like Mr. Magnetic Personality's back," Kira commented.

"Okay," Tommy said as he passed Beldorf, "You stay put until we can figure out how to send you back."

Ignoring Beldorf's protests, Tommy said to Kira and Ethan, "You two, keep an eye on him."

_The longer I keep you away from the battle, Ethan, the longer I have to figure out how to deal with your mother and the less chance she has of trying to get me fired._

"Conner, you come with me."

The Red and Black Rangers moved over to the east entrance of the lab.

"Ready?"

"Ready – DinoThunder, Power up!"

_Let's get this over with._

* * *

The Red and Black Rangers found the monster at the energy plant, gloating about how it was going to take down the entire grid.

"Not so fast!" Conner said.

The two Rangers charged, striking the monster in tandem. Their fighting styles were almost identical, as Conner put to use moves that Tommy had taught him.

"Let's double-team him," Conner suggested.

"Good idea," Tommy replied, "Front and back?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Conner replied as Tommy charged.

Unfortunately, Tommy misjudged the speed at which the monster moved and found his attack firmly rebuffed.

"You okay?" Conner asked as Tommy picked himself up.

_Pride's a little bruised, but nothing else._

"Yeah, he's quicker than I thought."

"I'm going to take you down," the monster jeered.

Before either Ranger could reply, though, a large bird's shadow crossed over them, along with the familiar battle cries of the other two Rangers.

_Hey, didn't I tell you two to keep an eye on the wizard?_

"Yeah! You're the best," Kira said enthusiastically and her Zord happily pirouetted through the air.

_Great, hyper Zords. This is exactly what we need right now. Watch it, Ptera, there's restricted air space around here somewhere._

The benefit of having Kira and Ethan join the battle was soon evident, though, as the Red, Blue, and Yellow Rangers combined their weapons and made short work of their opponent.

Who was promptly given new life as a thirty-story monstrosity.

"Hayley, we need some back up," Tommy said. One round against the monster's speed had been enough of a lesson for him; he wasn't about to take this one on by himself, even if its energies were low.

The BrachioZord soon appeared, releasing the PteraZord's two main companions and informing Tommy of how harried it was after dealing with the hyper yellow Zord.

Tommy gave a mental chuckle and replied, _Yeah, I figured as much. Any particular reason why?_

Apparently, there wasn't any discernable reason. The PteraZord just liked to fly and was glad for any opportunity to do so. Tommy smiled as he then felt his Zord's concern for his own wellbeing.

_I take it you felt the residual energy from my interaction with Beldorf? I'll be fine once he's back in his video game, don't worry._

Tommy's smile turned into a grin as the other Rangers destroyed the monster for good.

"You guys did good," he said as they reappeared before him, "Let's head back to the lab."

When they were back in Tommy's basement, Tommy asked Kira, "Any idea why your Zord was so hyper?"

"The PteraZord met another Zord," she replied frankly.

Tommy's eyebrows rose as Ethan and Conner choked on air.

"It _met another Zord_?" Ethan wondered, "Wait, can Zords even…"

"Don't go there, man," Conner replied.

Kira blinked in confusion, before exclaiming, "No, you goofs, not like _that_! There was another yellow flying Zord for the PteraZord to hang out with, jeez."

Tommy mentally ran through the yellow flying Zords he knew of. Taylor Meyers' Eagle Zord was the first that came to mind, but why would it be out in Reefside, and not the Air Force base by Turtle Cove? He'd have to ask Taylor sometime.

Tommy turned to Hayley. "Any luck on getting the wizard back home?"

Hayley sighed. "Well, I know what to do, and how to do it, I just need the _time_ to actually do it. Beldorf's going to have to stay the night."

_Oh no, absolutely not._

Tommy's eyes widened as he replied, "He's not staying here. I'd end up killing him before two hours were up."

"Hey!" Beldorf protested.

"Come on, Dr. O, it's not like he can stay at my place," Ethan responded, "My mom would freak if I brought home something Ranger-related."

Tommy sighed heavily. "Actually, no, she wouldn't, Ethan, because she knows."

Ethan's jaw dropped. "Wh-what?!"

"Your mother knows you're a Ranger. Since her brother was a Ranger as well, she knew the signs, and figured out you were the Blue Ranger, and managed to – rightly – guess that I was the Black Ranger."

Ethan's eyes lit up in realization. "That's why she wanted to meet you before conferences… How mad was she?"

"You don't really want me to answer that," Tommy replied, "The point is, she's not going to be very surprised if you _do_ bring home a live wizard who was pulled out of a video game."

Ethan looked dubiously at Beldorf before shrugging. "Well, okay, then. I guess I'm taking Beldorf home."

_Thank goodness. I really would have killed him if he had to stay._

The teens left soon after, and Hayley asked, "How're you holding up, Tommy?"

Tommy rubbed his forehead tiredly and replied, "I've just barely managed to get the voice in the back of my head to stop screaming 'purple means pain' over and over. His energy was really too similar to the Wizard of Deception's."

"Was it the smartest thing to do, sending Beldorf home with Ethan?"

"Maybe, maybe not. At the very least it'll give mother and son a chance to talk about Ethan being a Ranger… Maybe he can convince her of what I couldn't… He's going to be devastated if she asks him to stop being a Ranger, though."

Tommy sighed as Hayley made a sympathetic noise. "I really need that aspirin now. My head is killing me. Why don't you head on home?"

Hayley nodded. "It's about time, yeah. And Tommy? I'm sure everything will work out for the best."

Tommy smiled at his friend. "I hope you're right, Hayley."

Hayley left soon after, and Tommy was left to his own devices. He had a lot of work to do, anyway, with midterm grades due around the corner. He had just started on a stack of papers from his second period class when his communicator beeped.

"Dr. Oliver?" Ethan's voice came across.

"What is it, Ethan?"

"Could you come over? Mom says she wants to talk to you."

_Again? Well, can't be any worse than lunch._

"Alright, Ethan, I'll be right there."

* * *

When Tommy knocked on the door of the James residence, he was surprised to be greeted by a slightly-smiling Linda James.

"Come on in, Tommy."

_Well, this is a change. You're not secretly plotting my death behind that smile, are you?_

"Beldorf is down in the basement, so you don't need to worry," Linda told him.

Tommy simply nodded, wondering how she knew about his issues with the wizard. Linda led him to her office, where Ethan was sitting idly. The two Rangers nodded to each other in greeting.

There was a moment of awkward silence, before Linda said, "The reason I asked you to come, Tommy, is to apologize for what happened at lunch today."

Tommy blinked. That was unexpected. "Uh, it's fine Linda. I understand your viewpoint."

Linda gave him a small smile. "Be that as it may, it was still wrong of me to act the way I did, and for that, I'm sorry. I won't say I'm entirely happy about my son being a Ranger, because it's in a mother's nature to worry, but I understand why it needs to happen."

Tommy nodded, relief bringing a light smile to his face. Linda continued, "In fact, this gives me a bit of relief…"

She pressed a button on her computer and an image of Beldorf's frightened face appeared onscreen. Tommy's voice echoed around the small room as he said, "_My Rangers' safety is my highest priority, and I will not let you become a threat to them_."

Ethan stared at his teacher in shock as Tommy's jaw dropped. "Where – how do you have that footage?"

Linda smirked and pulled something off the collar of Tommy's jacket and held the device up to the light.

_You bugged me?!_

"Mom… You bugged Dr. Oliver?!"

"I work for a surveillance company, what do you expect me to have done?"

"That's… a really good question, actually," Tommy commented, "Wait… How long as that been active?!"

Linda's smirk widened. "Where exactly did you expect me to come up with a million dollars, Oliver?"

The blood drained away from Tommy's face as he replied, "Oh shoot… I, uh, that is… please don't kill me!"

Linda simply laughed.

"It's something Zack would have done," she explained when she had her mirth under control, "Maybe it's a Black Ranger thing."

Tommy chuckled. "Maybe… You're really okay with this?"

Linda nodded, and reached over to her son. "Being a Ranger means a lot to Ethan, and I can't take that away from him."

Ethan gave a small sigh of relief, and Linda turned back to Tommy. "I'm also not the same woman who yelled at you in front of her little brother's grave. As long as you keep my son safe, I won't stand in your way."

Tommy nodded. "You have my word."

Linda smiled. "Good. Now, Michael will be home in a few minutes, you're welcome to stay for dinner…"

* * *

A/N: And we all know how the rest of the episode turns out. The gang all gathers at the Cyberspace the next morning, and Beldorf returns to his video game. More stuff I want to address:

Conner's car - I'd rather not refer to it as 'Conner's car' for the rest of the entire fic. However, I hate cars as much as Tommy dislikes Beldorf, so my brain cuts out whenever I try searching for cars similar to Conner's. I've read in fics that Conner has a Corvette, a Mustang, and several other makes. If anyone could tell me definitively what he drives, I would be immensely grateful and am willing to work in a scene of your choice into the fic.

If you have any questions/comments, let me know. Please review!


	10. Golden Boy

A/N: Hello there! Wow, I can't believe it's been over three months since I updated this, but you know how life can be. But anyway, hopefully, this chapter makes it up to you. It's really long and packed with stuff, so you've been warned.

Thank you to everyone keeping up with this story! Your support is hugely appreciated! Special thanks to dguice, and Dt:Legacy's first anonymous reviewer, Tierra, for their response to my question at the end of last chapter. Your answers were a great help. Tierra, I'm afraid I can't incorporate what you want into this fic, but, if you're amenable to it, I can have that as a rumor running around Reefside High and have them confront it, or have some close friendship-y scenes with them in it. Up to you which you prefer. And further thanks to F-35 Phoenix for the support/encouragement and advice on handling this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers. That honor once again belongs to Saban.

Warning: Censored cursing. Like, once, but still. You've been warned.

* * *

Tommy's chalk tapped against the board as he wrote up his notes. It was Wednesday morning – hump day. Behind him, students were generally more interested in getting through the day intact than paying attention, but then, that wasn't too different from any other day. Hump day was just the day the most homework was due and the day that signaled the approach of the weekend.

"Now, what I want you to remember for the test is – Nathan, please bring up whatever you're working on that is _not_ class-related and put it on my desk. You can have it back when you leave."

The boy in question flushed guiltily and shuffled forward, placing a packet on Tommy's desk. The teacher glanced down at it and shook his head.

"That's the sixth 'Government in Action' packet I've confiscated this week. I suppose I should just be glad you're actually doing your schoolwork, even if for another class."

Slightly nervous laughter spread through the classroom. The 'Government in Action' projects were among the largest grades for Reefside's mandatory AP US Government and Politics class, and of course, most of the students had procrastinated on it, meaning that everything else this week took a back burner as they scrambled to finish it. A lot of the stricter teachers had been handing out detentions like candy when they caught students working on it in class.

"Now, back to the diagram. I know from our K-W-L that most of you have encountered trophic levels in other classes, but as a review…"

Tommy turned back to the diagram he'd drawn on the board and continued teaching. Heads bowed and pencils scratched on paper as the teens copied down the writing on the board. Two months of having Dr. Oliver had taught the teens that while he was many things, such as absentminded, laidback, and easygoing, he was also very serious about teaching and brooked no quarter from disrupters or slackers.

"This is going to be our last topic before the unit test on Tuesday – groan all you want, you have Fall Break right after that."

"And parent conferences," a girl added.

Tommy inclined his head. "Those too. But, staying on topic-"

The fates seemed disinclined to allow Tommy to keep teaching, though, as a shrill wail cut through the morning air.

The monster alarm.

_What a wonderful way to start the day._

"Everybody remain calm and line up, single file," Tommy ordered, "Leave your belongings here."

_ All students are to report to the basement of the building during the monster attack. This is not a drill. All students to the basement, immediately._

"Everybody out! Down the hallway, stairs on your right. Go! The teachers will direct you further."

Tommy stood at the door watching his students pass by him worriedly, until only three remained. Tommy brought his communicator to his lips.

"Hayley, what's going on?"

"Monster attack, downtown, a few blocks in from the coast," Hayley replied, "The Cyberspace is packed with people taking shelter."

"We're on it," Conner replied, and the three teens got ready to morph.

"Dr. O, aren't you coming?" Ethan asked, when the teacher made no move to leave his position by the door.

"I can't," Tommy replied urgently, "I need to stay here and look after the other students."

Conner nodded. "We can handle it."

"What if we need Zords?" Kira asked.

"Hayley or I can send them out remotely, don't worry. Now, morph and get downtown."

"Right! DinoThunder, Power up!"

Tommy closed the door behind him after the Rangers teleported out. Scanning the hall, he saw Principal Randall heading towards him.

"Dr. Oliver! Have you cleared the hallway?"

"I was just getting to that, Principal Randall," Tommy replied, his eyes darting to all the likely places for teens to hide.

"Well, hurry it up, man! The last thing we need is for one of these foolhardy brats to get caught in the crossfire of an attack!"

Tommy nodded curtly, pushing down his immediate reaction to say the students weren't brats. Now was not the time.

_I'm beginning to understand why some of the teachers back at Angel Grove were so uptight. It must have been a nightmare having to do this as often as they did._

"The hallway's clear, Principal Randall," Tommy reported a few minutes later.

She nodded and muttered into her walkie-talkie, "Smithson, the science wing is clear. Over."

"Roger that, Principal Randall. All the other wings have been accounted for. Over."

"Good. Make sure the students stay down until the all-clear. Randall over and out."

"You're taking this very well, Principal Randall," Tommy said as they made their way down to the basement, "Most new Principals wouldn't have half the presence of mind you do."

Randall gave him a sidelong glance and replied curtly, "Flattery will get you nowhere, Dr. Oliver. Though, I could say the same about how you're handling the situation."

_You try to say something nice and it blows up in your face… There's just no talking to some people!_

Tommy shook his head. "I lived in Angel Grove during the monster attacks. This is something I'm very used to."

"Is it indeed," Randall murmured, before pushing entering the basement and snapping, "Creswell! What are you doing away from your class?"

Brianna Creswell, a junior, cowered before the school's austere Principal and pressed herself against the wall as the woman passed by. Tommy shook his head at Randall's retreating figure and knelt beside the trembling girl.

"Brianna. Hey, easy, Brianna, it's just me," he said gently.

The girl looked at him tearfully. "D-Dr. Oliver, I – my sister, she-"

_Poor girl's five seconds away from hyperventilating._

"Take it easy, Brianna. Just breathe – slowly, slowly… That's it, in, hold, out…"

Tommy kept up his soothing litany to the girl until she calmed down. Brianna rubbed her eyes and sniffed.

"S-Sorry, Dr. Oliver. I didn't mean to freak out on you like that."

Tommy shook his head. "It's fine, Brianna. Mind telling me what's got you so upset?"

Brianna sniffed again and swallowed. "My little sister… I'm just worried about her. Her class is out on a field trip today, and if she got caught…"

_And she's about to start hyperventilating again. Mesogog, I hate you._

"Brianna – Brianna, listen to me," Tommy said firmly, "Your sister's going to be fine."

"How do you know?" Brianna asked tearfully.

Tommy made sure to look Brianna directly in the eye. "I know, because Reefside has an excellent shelter system. There is no chance your sister's not in a safe place already. Besides, the Rangers are probably out there taking care of things as we speak. Have they ever let us down?"

Brianna shook her head. "N-no, I guess not."

Tommy smiled gently. "Exactly. Your little sister's going to be fine."

Brianna managed a weak smile, strengthened by Tommy's words. "Thanks, Dr. Oliver. I – I'm sorry about breaking down on you like that."

"Don't be. I'm always glad to help."

Brianna's smile grew a little as she shook her head and stood up. "I'd better get back to my class."

Tommy stood up with her, watching her until she made it back to her classmates. His gaze drifted over the rest of the students, taking in the troubled students and teachers. As he made his way over to a particularly frantic group of students, he was accosted by a teacher dragging a young boy – most likely a freshman – behind him.

"Oliver! There you are! You're good with kids; see what you can do with this one."

"Who-"

But the brusque teacher was already moving away, leaving behind a frightened Asian boy in front of Tommy. Stifling a sigh, the paleontologist strained to hear what the young teen was muttering under his breath.

"-And we're all going to die and they'll only ever find our charred and broken bodies-"

_Alright, who is this kid? I don't have him in any classes, but I've seen him with the other teachers. What was it, Edward? Evan? Eric? Yeah, Eric Jiang, that's it…_

"Eric," Tommy said, cutting through the teen's litany, "You need to calm down. Nothing bad is going to happen to you here."

Eric blinked at being cut off and stared at Tommy for a moment, before demanding, "How do you know? Can you prove it?"

_Ah. One of those types. Great._

"Reefside has twelve shelters and 27 safety zones manned by the very best of armed forces and Silver Guardians throughout the city. All the shelters and safety zones have been personally evaluated by former Rangers. The school's basement is actually a bomb shelter that was built during World War II under an administration paranoid enough to believe that the Japanese were going to bomb the mainland. Trust me, you're safe."

Eric stared at Tommy dubiously, but Tommy could see his words take hold in Eric's mind. Eric glanced around before returning his attention to Tommy and asking, "Former Rangers?"

Tommy nodded. "Carter Grayson and the Lightspeed Team – the only team of Rangers to make their identities public from the start – came down to Reefside to check everything out. It's on public record."

Eric nodded, mulling over the information. His panic had faded, leaving behind some mild apprehension that wasn't too out of place in a monster attack.

"Now that you're calmer, why don't you go wait for the all-clear with the rest of your classmates?"

Eric nodded again. "Yes, sir. And thank you."

Tommy shook his head. "Not a problem, Eric. That's what I'm here for."

As Eric melted into the crowd of students, Tommy continued looking around. Now that the initial panic had faded, most of the students were just waiting anxiously. The teachers were circulating throughout the area, keeping the students calm and reassuring them as best as they could. His students were towards the back, where Cassidy and Devin were attempting to film for the televised daily announcements.

_Well, things are starting to settle. At least there aren't anymore kids crying – I spoke too soon._

A few yards to his right, a young girl, no more than twelve, was sobbing quietly into another student's shirt.

_Why do we have a middle school-er in the mix?_

He made his way over to the pair and crouched down beside them. "Christy? Everything alright?"

Christy Patterson, a senior at Reefside, looked up at Tommy and gave him a small smile.

"About as alright as one could expect, Dr. Oliver," she replied softly, stroking the younger girl's hair. The preteen sniffed, her eyelids dropping. Christy murmured gentle reassurances as the younger girl drifted off to sleep.

"Poor thing cried herself to sleep," Christy said softly.

"Who is she?" Tommy asked, keeping the same soft tone so that he didn't wake the sleeping child.

"Lindsey Hubble, my neighbor. She comes over from Reefside Middle School to take Algebra II here."

Tommy's eyebrows rose. "Wow, smart kid."

Christy smiled. "She's brilliant. She's so young, though – just turned eleven. The monster attack terrified her."

"I can imagine," Tommy replied, "You're taking it pretty calmly, though."

Christy's smile widened. "I lived in Angel Grove until about three years ago. This kind of stuff happened all the time."

Tommy looked at her, surprised. "Angel Grove, really? It's a small world, so did I!"

Christy's face brightened. "Really? Were you there for the monster attacks?"

Tommy nodded. "They started when I was a freshman at AGH."

Christy's eyes widened. "Freshman… Wow, Cassidy was right, you _are_ young!"

The teens face promptly turned red as she realized what she had blurted out. Tommy simply chuckled.

"Yeah, I get that a lot."

There was a short pause before Christy's eyes widened again. "Wait, Oliver… would that make you _Tommy_ Oliver?"

_Ooh, apparently I'm famous._

Tommy raised as eyebrow. "It would."

Christy laughed. "Wow, it really _is_ a small world. My little sister, Billie, used to take lessons from you and Adam Park in the Youth Center."

Tommy searched through his mind to find a hazy memory of a young blonde girl studiously practicing her katas.

"Oh yeah, I remember her. She was pretty good, does she still practice?"

Christy nodded with a smile. "Yeah, she wants to become as good as you and Adam. You two were her heroes."

Tommy flushed slightly and chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. Before he could say anything though, he noticed Christy's eyes slide up to look at something behind him. Turning around, he saw a nervous-looking Trent approaching them.

With a nod to Christy, he stood up and turned to Trent. "Trent? Something the matter?"

"Hey, Dr. Oliver, have you seen Kira around?" the teen asked, "Or Conner and Ethan, for that matter? I didn't see them come down with our class."

_That's because they're out fighting the monster downtown._

"Ah, yeah, I saw the three of them a while back, actually," Tommy replied, "I'm sure they're around somewhere."

Trent nodded dubiously. He opened his mouth to say something else, but was cut off as Tommy started beeping. The teacher patted his pockets and Trent asked amusedly, "Phone?"

Tommy smiled sheepishly and replied, "Yeah, I just need to remember where I – aha! Sorry, Trent, I have to take this."

Trent nodded, replying, "It's fine. I'm going to look for Kira and the others."

Tommy waved him off and put his phone to his ear, saying into his communicator, "Hayley? What's the status?"

"You're not going to like this, Tommy, but your Rangers just disappeared."

"They did _what_ now?"

Tommy could hear the clacking of keys on Hayley's keyboard as she replied, "They were in the MegaZord fighting the monster, and all of a sudden, they vanished. I'm picking up some kind of residual portal energy… and they're back."

"They're back?"

"Yep, they just reappeared right where they disappeared in the first place."

Tommy sighed with relief. "Are they alright?"

"All diagnostics are normal," Hayley reported.

"Great. I'll find out what happened when I see them later today."

"Alright. I've got a café to take care of. I'll see you later, alright?"

"Yeah, seven sound good?"

"Make it seven-thirty. I think it's going to be a busy evening."

"Sure. See you then."

* * *

As it turned out, Hayley was right about it being a busy evening. It was a busy day in general, in fact, with teachers and students rushing to catch up on material and readjust to the flow of a normal school day. Conner, Kira, and Ethan had stopped by during lunch to regale him with the tale of their battle, which was "epic" as Ethan put it, and involved them being teleported to an icy wasteland before they cunningly broke the monster's spell and returned to Reefside to defeat it. Tommy shook his head. The three of them were probably just now coming down from their adrenaline high from the battle.

As Tommy pushed open the door the Cyberspace, he found himself barely a foot away from a very harried Trent Fernandez.

"Whoa, easy there, Trent, the world's not ending just yet," Tommy said as he stepped back so as not to collide with the teen.

Trent skidded to a halt, grasping his tray tightly so that nothing fell and turned to his teacher wearily. "Hey, Dr. Oliver, sorry about that. It's just, things have been unbelievably hectic here, and Karen's sick today, so I've got to take of her shift, too, and the Government in Action Project with Eth-"

"Trent, breathe," Tommy interrupted gently, "Why don't you give me the tray and take a five-minute breather. You look like you need it."

Trent looked torn between taking a much-needed break and continuing his work to help Hayley. Tommy shook his head and made the decision for him, pulling the tray from Trent's hands.

"Now go sit down, kid."

Trent flashed his teacher a grateful smile and sank down on a nearby chair. "Thanks, Dr. Oliver."

"Don't worry about it," Tommy tossed over his shoulder as he made his way over to the counter.

"Delivery for you Hayley," Tommy announced, startling the redhead.

"Tommy! Oh, thank goodness you're here!"

"Busy day?" Tommy asked amusedly.

Hayley rolled her eyes at his tone a replied, "Like none other."

Tommy chuckled. "So, what can I do to help?"

Hayley glanced around the café. There were tables that needed to be cleaned, couches and chairs that needed to be straightened and put up, a floor to be swept… Her gaze fell on her employee in white sitting bonelessly a few tables from the door.

"Can you take Trent home? Normally it's Karen or Andy, but since he's the only one who came in for work today…"

Tommy nodded. "Sure. You going to be okay on your own?"

Hayley rolled her eyes. There were only a few people left in the café, nothing she couldn't handle on her own.

"Tommy, I ran this café on my own long before you got here. Now go."

Tommy held up his hands in an appeasing gesture and moved back over to Trent. "Hey Trent, get your stuff together. I'll give you a ride home."

Trent sat up, startled. "Huh? Uh, what about-"

"I'll handle clean up, Trent," Hayley cut in, "You head on home."

Trent blinked at his employer. "You sure?"

Hayley gave him a mildly exasperated look and replied, "I'm sure, Trent. You've done a great job today. Go home and get some rest."

Trent flashed her a bright smile and nodded. "Alright. Thanks, Hayley!"

Hayley chuckled. "Don't mention it. I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, and Tommy? Pick up some paper towels on the way back, would you?"

Tommy nodded as Trent left to get his things. "Sure."

Trent returned wearing his jacket and backpack and the two of them left for Tommy's Jeep.

"Thanks for the ride home, Dr. O," Trent said as they walked out, "Dad would have freaked if I got home late again."

"No problem," Tommy replied easily, "Hey, speaking of your Dad, there's something I've been wondering… All those years working with your father, and uh, he never mentioned he had a son."

_Heck, sometimes, he'd joke about adopting one of us younger interns just so that he __could__ have a child._

Trent shrugged. "Well, he didn't – y'know, have one, that is. Him and my real parents worked on a dig a few years ago. There was a cave-in… my parents never got out."

_Way to go, Tommy. Stick your foot in it, why don't you?_

"I'm sorry to hear that," Tommy replied softly.

"Yeah… He's been great, though. He's taken me in, given me everything… a home, a life – not a lot of people would have done that."

_That's Anton for you, though. The Anton I remember, at least._

"Yeah," Tommy agreed, as he buckled his seatbelt and started the Jeep.

"So, uh, how long have you known my Dad?" Trent wondered as they drove, "He doesn't really talk about you, well, ever."

Tommy's lips quirked. "Well, your Dad and I first met when I was an undergrad, about five years ago. I interned for him while working on my degree, and started working for him full-time as soon as I got my Bachelor's. He helped me through my Master's, but we fell out of contact mid-2003. There was an accident where we were working… I honestly thought he was dead until I saw him again."

Trent's eyes widened. "That's about the time I lost my birth parents… why did you guys lose contact?"

_I ask myself that every day._

Tommy shrugged. "I wish I knew. We used to be really close… but, I suppose, after the explosion, it took a while for Anton to get his bearings again, and then he just got caught up in work."

_And hopefully, the fact that I blew up his island had nothing to do with it._

As Trent mulled over the information, Tommy asked, "So how's he been doing?"

"Pretty good," Trent replied, "I grew up in Cuba, so Dad and I stayed there for a while after my real parents died, just so I could get back on my feet. We moved to Manhattan after that, so Dad could get his company back in order, and then we moved over here. Reefside's my first time back in a public high school since my birth parents died… Dad hired tutors for me before."

_That sounds like Anton, alright._

"I'm glad he's doing alright," Tommy said softly, "And I'm glad you both are getting on well, as well."

Trent nodded. "Yeah, he's been great. I mean, he's given me back my life, y'know? And in light of that, whatever tension we have over my artwork just pales in comparison."

Tommy shook his head. "Now that's something I don't get. I remember Anton pinning up pictures from Becker's three- and seven-year-old nieces to our wall – Becker was one of my co-workers. He had no problem letting any of us express our creativity, really. One of my other co-workers, Natasha, had a habit of doodling on any scrap of paper she could reach. Anton used to decorate the walls with her doodles… I guess people change over time. I'm sure he's just doing what he thinks is best for you."

Trent sighed, and Tommy had the feeling Trent had heard that line far too many times. Trent shook his head and asked, "So, what did you and my Dad work on?"

Tommy smiled, accepting the change in topic. "Pretty much the same things as your parents, I'd expect. Just going out for digs all over the world, hunting for dinosaur bones and whatever else we could find buried beneath the earth. Our last dig was in Peru, actually…"

Trent listened avidly as his teacher regaled him with stories of places he'd never seen, people he'd never met, and a father he'd never known. He had to wonder, though, at the faint undertone of sorrow in his teacher's voice – he'd have missed it if he didn't hear it in his own voice when talking about his parents – and at the stark change in the man he'd come to call father.

There was a lull in the conversation and the two of them drifted back into their own memories as Tommy drove down a quiet country road. The past for both of them was bittersweet, with families lost and gained.

Tommy glanced over to the rearview mirror and was promptly jarred to alertness.

_What is that?_

"What… Trent, look – do you see a-"

"Big gold guy running like, _fifty miles an hour,_ right _behind_ us?"

Tommy slammed on the brakes and the gold creature collided with his Jeep, denting the back and shoving it forward a few feet.

_I am really glad for seatbelts right now._

He and Trent quickly unbuckled their seatbelts and stepped out of the Jeep to see a humanoid gold creature lying flat on the road.

_Please don't be a part of Mesogog's newest plan, please don't be a part of Mesogog's newest plan…_

"Oh man," Tommy said with a groan, "My insurance company's never going to buy this!"

_What am I supposed to tell them? 'Well, ma'am, the reason the back of my Jeep is bent in half is that a gold robot-looking thing ran into it at fifty miles per hour. Yeah, that'll go over well._

The gold creature clenched his fists and pivoted itself upright and Tommy and Trent shifted back a little.

"Which one of you is Dr. Oliver?" a metallic voice demanded.

Trent's eyes moved over to his teacher. "Uhh…"

"That'd be me," Tommy replied, stepping in front of Trent.

"Then prepare for your demise," the creature warned, cracking its knuckles.

Tommy's jaw clenched and his expression immediately hardened. This was definitely one of Mesogog's creations, and he was not about to let it anywhere _near_ Trent.

Tommy pushed the teen back as the creature charged, warning, "Hang on!"

He lashed out with a kick to the creature's chest, inwardly wincing as it felt like he'd hit concrete, and followed up with a series of punches that were easily blocked, to the point that the creature twisted his arm and pushed it against his chest along with his other arm before switching hands and punching him back.

_Well, that hurt. No holds barred, then._

The next time the creature rushed at him, Tommy swiftly ducked under his arm, coming back up on its other side, following with two kicks. It _still_ felt like hitting concrete, but at least he was able to dodge the creature's two punches.

_What is this thing __made__ of?_

The creature grabbed his shirt and kneed him in his solar plexus, completely knocking the breath out of him. Before he could breathe again, his opponent had grabbed the collar of his jacket and thrown him to the other side of his Jeep.

_Come on, Tommy, get it together!_

His entire torso throbbed with pain as he dragged himself over to the front of his Jeep, gasping for breath as he sat up. His mind had switched into high gear, analyzing his opponent for weaknesses and trying to create a battle strategy. The problem: his opponent had no discernable weakness and he had a civilian to protect.

And he couldn't morph, either, not with Trent right there.

"Alright," he grit out, "Better call for back-up."

A shadow fell across him as his communicator flashed. Cringing in pain, he looked up to see the creature standing over him, fist raised, declaring, "You must be destroyed!"

"No!" Trent cried out, rushing forward.

The teen leaped over the spare tire on the back of the Jeep, tackling the creature and throwing him over the side of the road. Trent rushed over to his teacher as the older man pulled himself up.

"No, Trent! Stay back!" Tommy warned urgently. _Anton would __kill__ me if anything happened to you. Hayley, and possibly Kira, too._

"I can help!" Trent insisted, and Tommy bit back a rebuttal as pain flashed through his torso. Trent wasn't a practicing martial artist; he was a street-fighter at best. He'd stand no chance against their opponent!

Trent rushed forward again, despite Tommy's warning, punching at Goldenrod and having his attacks easily blocked, before getting knees in the gut and thrown across the road, much like Tommy had. Trent, however, proved hardier than Tommy expected – or perhaps the creature simply hadn't thrown him as hard – and leaped up to fight again.

_Move, Tommy! Don't let a kid take the fall for you!_

"No!" Tommy cried out, stumbling at the side of his Jeep as Trent was thrown across the road again. He had to get up, had to fight, regardless of the ribs he was sure he'd cracked.

The golden monster approached Trent as he scrambled back, only to be diverted by laser fire. Tommy thanked several Earth-based and alien deities as the Rangers parked their Raptor Cycles and leaped off, rushing towards them.

The Red Ranger reached him first, asking worriedly, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Tommy replied, forcing himself not to wince. Conner had more important things to worry about than him.

The Red Ranger nodded and the three Rangers moved on to Trent. The Yellow Ranger knelt down beside him as the Red and Blue Rangers moved past her to stand between them and the monster.

"Trent?" she asked, surprised, "Are you alright?"

Tommy winced. That was a surefire way for Kira to disclose her identity.

"Yeah – Hey, how do you know my name?"

"Uhh…"

The Red and Blue Rangers, on the other hand, were working together in beautiful harmony, their movements sure and in sync. A well-timed kick from the both of them sent the creature sprawling back flat on his back.

Tommy pushed himself up. He had painkillers in the back of his Jeep, as well as a first aid kit.

He just needed to _make_ it that far.

A green flash lit up the area, and a very familiar cyborg appeared in front of the golden creature.

"I was wondering when you would show up," the Red Ranger snarked, unknowingly voicing Tommy's thoughts. Tommy pushed his pain to the back of his mind. He had to focus on the impending fight.

The golden creature stood up behind Zeltrax, who turned his head to the side, and snapped, "You! Return with me at once!"

"But, Father! My mission in not yet complete!"

_FATHER?_

"Now! Do as you're told," Zeltrax ordered.

"Yes, Father," the creature replied with a half-bow, and the pair disappeared via another Invisiportal.

There was a beat of stunned silence in the wake of their departure, before the Red Ranger asked, "Father? Did he just call him _Father_?"

Tommy was just as shocked. How exactly did a _cyborg_ produce a son?

"I _think_ so," the Blue Ranger replied.

"That's what I heard," Trent said, pushing himself up.

"Whoa, take it easy, man," the Blue Ranger said, darting towards Trent, "You're injured."

Trent shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine. Just a little banged up."

"You sure?" the Yellow Ranger asked dubiously.

Trent nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. You should worry about Dr. Oliver more."

As one, the three Rangers turned to him. Tommy cringed inwardly before shaking his head. "I'm fine."

He was met with three soft snorts of disbelief. He rolled his eyes. Overprotective teens. "Seriously. Nothing a good night's rest won't cure."

The Red Ranger shook his head. "Right. So what did Golden Boy want with you guys, anyway?"

Trent looked over to Tommy, who replied a little shakily, "He was after me. Kept saying something about destroying me."

The Rangers stiffened, and Tommy made a small motion, more like, a twitch, with his hand. They would discuss this later.

"Well, then," the Red Ranger said, "Dr. Oliver, was it? If you want, one of the Rangers could escort you to, uh, wherever you're going."

Tommy shook his head. "Its fine. I'm just dropping Trent off at home. I'm sure you guys have more important things to be worrying about."

_Like the 'Government in Action' projects due this week, the AP Calculus BC unit test for Ethan, the AP English vocabulary test for Kira, and the homework for my class that all three of you have._

The Rangers nodded and left, and Trent turned to Tommy. "Man, Dr. O, my Dad's so going to freak when he hears about this."

_Ooh, somehow, I don't think telling Anton about this is a good idea._

"I, ah, I'm not sure you want to do that, Trent," Tommy ventured, "Anton can get pretty… protective, I guess you could say."

Trent paused, considering Tommy's statement. His eyes widening, "You're right! If Dad found out, he wouldn't let me out of the house for a month!"

Tommy nodded. "Come on, let's get you home, before he worries even more."

* * *

Tommy begged off helping Hayley close up, who gave him the evil eye for all of thirty seconds, before plying him with various painkillers and telling him to get lots of rest that night. He was more than happy to follow her instructions, heading to bed early that night and letting the Power work on healing his injuries. It was a pity that his rapid healing only kicked in during times of high stress and danger.

The next day passed uneventfully, except that Conner, Kira, and Ethan kept an eagle eye on him throughout class and stopped by during lunch and their free periods to make sure he was alright, as they had after he returned from Mesogog's lair. It took him fifteen minutes not persuade Kira _not_ to call Dana again.

He also confiscated twice as many 'Government in Action' packets than the day before. It got to the point that he threatened to _not_ return the confiscated papers after class.

He had a meeting as well, reviewing the school's response to the monster attack the day before. There had been very few complaints from the parents, and only a few teachers complained about hysterical students. For just a moment, though, Principal Randall's tough façade cracked, and Tommy could see the weight of being solely responsible for the 900-odd people within Reefside High's halls bearing down on the young woman. An instant later, though, she was back to her usual brusque, sharp-tongued self.

Principal Randall wasn't the only one under pressure, though. As Tommy sat down at the counter of the Cyberspace with a cup of white coffee, Hayley slammed down a paper beside him.

"I don't _believe_ it!" she exclaimed.

Tommy's eyes snapped up immediately at the anger and despair in his friend's voice. Pressing down the urge to go beat into the ground the person who'd roused such negative emotions in his friend, Tommy looked at the paper.

"Junk mail?" he asked, though he knew it probably wasn't.

"I wish! Check this out."

The paper had the letterhead of the Reefside City Hall on it. Tommy picked it up curiously.

_Ms. Hayley Ziktor;_

_This letter is to inform you of the purchase of the land at 1507 McGalliard Avenue by Dr. Anton Mercer…_

A block of lead settled in Tommy's gut. _Anton, why is it that I want to hit you for just about everything I learn you do?_

"What's it say?" Ethan asked.

"A letter from the city," Hayley replied bitterly, "It seems as of tomorrow, I have a new landlord."

"And not just any landlord," Tommy added, "Anton Mercer."

"He's going to rebuild the whole café," Hayley continued, "And he's going to _replace_ me!"

The Cyberspace was Hayley's lifeblood, just as Rangering was Tommy's. She wouldn't be able to survive without it.

"With who?" Ethan wondered incredulously.

Tommy knew. The letter detailed exactly what was going to happen to the café when Anton took over. Hayley looked to the side, and Tommy caught the flash of anger and betrayal on her face.

A sullen Trent Fernandez stood a few feet away from them.

"So you've heard," he said flatly.

"So what's the deal, man?" Ethan demanded, a trace of disgust in his voice, "One rough day at the office, so your rich Daddy buys it for you?"

"It's not like that," Trent replied, "I had nothing to do with this."

Trent looked at the letter, a pained expression crossing his face. Hayley's gaze softened. She knew Trent. He wasn't the type to go running to his father over a rough day, especially not when he enjoyed working at the Cyberspace so much.

"Look, I've got a friend at City Hall," Tommy said, the letterhead on the paper sparking a memory, "Maybe we can check out the deal and see if Mercer missed something."

Trent shook his head and replied sadly, "I've known my Dad long enough to know he doesn't make mistakes."

Tommy's eyes glittered as he remembered long days under dust and sun. "And I've known your Dad long enough to know that he does."

He remembered an Anton who could get too caught up in his work that he forgot to take care of his employees. He remembered an Anton who nearly got scammed out of a quarter of a million dollars, if it weren't for some timely intervention. He remembered an Anton who was just as human as everyone else, just as prone to making mistakes.

_I'm sorry Anton, but I'm not going to let you do this._

"Come on, Ethan-"

"W-Wait," Trent interrupted, "I'm going with you. This is because of me… I'll do whatever it takes to fix this."

Hayley pressed her lips together for a moment, before nodding. The expression in Trent's eyes was the same she'd seen in Tommy's, the same he was wearing right now. They'd fix this. Whatever it took.

"City Hall, here we come," Ethan muttered.

Outside the café, Tommy pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Eleanor Sanchez's office, Maria Davis speaking. How may I help you today?"

An image of a skinny girl with brown hair in pigtails and scabby knees flashed through his mind.

"Hey, Maria, this is Tommy Oliver. Is Ellie free this evening?"

"Tommy? Oh my goodness, I haven't heard from you since the Drescott House protests! How've you been?"

Tommy grinned as he gestured for Trent and Ethan to get into his Jeep. "I'm fine, sis, just teaching at Reefside High. I'm thinking about calling in that favor Ellie owes me."

Maria laughed. "Teaching, huh? Sounds fun. Alright, Ellie's actually free for the next two hours, so you'll be able to catch her if you come down now."

"Sounds good. If I leave now, I should be there in about ten minutes."

"Alright. Who should I say is coming?"

"Dr. Tommy Oliver and two students," Tommy replied, looking over at Ethan and Trent, who nodded.

"Alright. See you soon, little brother!"

_By two weeks only, thank you very much!_

Tommy chuckled and replied, "See you soon, Maria."

"So, you have a sister?" Ethan asked as Tommy drove them to City Hall.

"No, not biologically, but Maria and I grew up together. She works for Councilwoman Eleanor Sanchez of the 33rd District – whom we also grew up with."

Ethan's brow furrowed and Trent guessed, "Orphanage?"

Tommy nodded. "Drescott House, at the crossing of State Road 375 and State Road 462. Spent the first thirteen or so years of my life there. Ellie was there until she was eighteen, and Maria until she was twelve."

"Drescott House… that's what the protests a few years back were about, right?" Ethan asked.

Tommy nodded. "The city wanted to tear down the orphanage and turn it into a movie theater. Suffice to say, the current and former residents of Drescott House were _not_ happy. A lot of kids who passed through Drescott House still live in Reefside, so there was a strong public outcry about it."

Ethan's brow furrowed. "I thought Drescott House was, well, kind of a nasty place. Mom used to tell me some seriously wacked out stuff about it when I was little."

Tommy's fingers tightened around the steering wheel, before he sighed softly. "Drescott House… didn't have the best of reputations, no. It went through a change in management while I was there… The older caretakers were… well, _they_ were straight out of Oliver Twist. Their replacements were much better, but they had too much on their hands repairing the damage their predecessors caused to really be of any use to the kids."

Tommy paused, using the turn in the road as a chance to gather his thoughts. Drescott House held so many memories for him, both painful and beautiful.

Making the turn, he continued, "Three years ago, one of the caretakers died and the other fell deathly ill. There were a record low number of children at the orphanage, too, so the city just wanted to shut it down and use the land for something more "productive". The only problem was that the nearest children's home outside Reefside was more of a nightmare than Drescott House had ever been. There was no way anyone who'd been through Drescott House would subject a child like them to that."

Trent shook his head, muttering, "I hear that. The orphanages back home were a nightmare, too."

Tommy glanced over at Trent momentarily as Ethan gave him a curious look. Trent seemed to realize what he had said, and explained, "Sorry, I'm originally from Cuba. Anton Mercer's my adopted father. After my birth parents died, I was put in a group home for a while… and well, it was pretty much a drug house. I can't imagine letting anyone else go through that if I could help it."

Tommy gave the teen a soft smile. "Drescott House wasn't that bad, I don't think. The current caretakers are much better, and we've managed to create a board of former members of Drescott House who oversee the actions of the management, so that everything runs smoothly – And here we are."

Tommy parked his Jeep and the teens jumped out.

"Man, I hope there's _something_ we can do," Trent said as the crossed the pavement.

"Me, too," Tommy replied, before smiling slightly.

_Now, isn't this a sight for sore eyes?_

Several yards in front of them, a woman in a dark orange business suit walked down the steps towards them.

She smiled, her eyes glittering, and stretched out her hand. "Dr. Oliver. My office said you were coming down."

Tommy stifled a grin at her professional tone. _"Your office," Ellie? Bet Maria gets a kick out of that. So, that's how you want to play it, then?_

"Councilwoman Sanchez. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us."

Eleanor nodded, stifling back a grin of her own. It was just like old times, the two of them putting on a show for prospective parents.

Of course, showing off to prospective parents never involved unwanted visits from Zeltrax and his so-called son.

_Oh, you've got to be kidding me. These goons again?_

"There," Zeltrax growled.

"I see him!" his son chirped, bringing up his fist and firing an enormous laser blast at them.

Tommy and Ethan dodge out of the way, somersaulting to the one side. Eleanor screamed as she and Trent dove to the other side.

Tommy had been five, almost six, when he heard his sister scream in fear for the first time. He'd sworn then and there that it would be the last time.

"I will make you proud, Father," Zeltrax's son said confidently.

Zeltrax nodded. "Go, Goldenrod."

Goldenrod started firing at them again, and Tommy head Eleanor's stifled sob. Rage shot through him, dark and vicious. Blood pounded in his ears. It was his childhood all over again – he was too young, too far away, just _not enough_ to keep the tears away.

"Trent! Get Councilwoman Sanchez where it's safe," he ordered, while gesturing for Ethan to call Conner and Kira.

"You got it!" Trent replied, shielding the older woman and herding her away from the danger.

Somehow, they shouldn't have been surprised that Cassidy and Devin ran up right then.

"Yoo-hoo! Council-lady! Cassidy Cornell! We were here first!"

The pair of then ran in front of the steps, not noticing Zeltrax and Goldenrod behind them.

"Cassidy, get _away_," Ethan hissed, gesturing wildly.

"Huh?" The girl turned around, just in time to get blasted by Goldenrod.

"Cassidy! Devin!"

"They'll be fine, Ethan," Tommy said, stopping the teen from rushing to his classmates.

In fact, Devin was already picking himself up, and Cassidy's standard complaints were back in full force.

"We've got bigger problems to worry about."

Tommy and Ethan shifted into nearly identical fighting stances, before dashing forward to meet Goldenrod. They lashed out with a kick to Goldenrod's chest, before separating to attack from either side. Tommy struck first, kicking and driving Goldenrod back toward Ethan.

It almost worked.

Goldenrod pushed Tommy back and nearly dislocated Ethan's shoulder before shoving him away. Ethan rubbed his shoulder as Tommy faced off against Goldenrod again, each of his attacks blocked before Goldenrod shoved him back.

"Your son got a lot stronger," Tommy said, his mind working furiously.

_We need back-up, and we need to morph._

"They grow up so fast, don't they?" Zeltrax replied mockingly, pointing his sword towards Tommy.

Tommy bit back a retort as the patter of feet reached his ears. Conner and Kira had arrived.

"We heard you guys were fighting City Hall," Conner said eagerly.

_Not quite, no. Budding political activist, Conner?_

"They must have meant fight _in front of it_," Kira retorted.

Tommy cut through their bickering before it continue any further. "You guys ready?"

"Ready!"

"DinoThunder, Power up!"

As soon as the four of them were morphed, an Invisiportal opened up above them and a horde of Tyrannodrones dropped down.

_Of course. It wouldn't be a party without Tyrannodrones, now would it?_

"Tyrannodrones, attack!" Zeltrax commanded, "Destroy them!"

"ThunderMax Saber!" Conner called out as they split up. He slashed away at Tyrannodrones, before facing off against Goldenrod himself. Sword met staff as Conner fended off Goldenrod's strikes and even landed a hit of his own. Of course, he got kicked in the chest for his trouble.

Kira fought her way through the Tyrannodrones around her, disabling the first wave of them out in a well-executed roundhouse kick. She summoned her Ptera Grips before resuming her attacks, even pulling off a flying kick Tommy had taught her just that week.

Ethan fared just as well with his Tyrannodrones, barreling through them using the building's columns as leverage to knock out a few of them. Tommy saw him fighting against the balcony wall and shooting his blaster out of the corner of his eye as he himself faced off against Zeltrax.

_Now, isn't this a familiar routine?_

His Brachio Staff clashed against Zeltrax's sword in a familiar routine, and he pressed down on the cyborg's sword, he jeered, "Hey, Zeltrax, you're sending your son to do what you couldn't?"

"I will take you myself," Zeltrax growled.

Zeltrax pushed away from Tommy and turned to his son. "Goldenrod, attack the city!"

"Yes, Father!"

_That something so vile and despicable as Zeltrax can inspire such loyalty and __affection__ from another creature is almost beyond comprehension. But then, I know better than anyone that evil and love are not mutually exclusive._

Goldenrod lashed out at Conner, knocking him away so that he could teleport out to the city. The now-30-story child prepared to attack.

"That's our cue," Tommy muttered, "Brachio, do your thing!"

Almost immediately, Tommy felt the familiar mental presence of the BrachioZord, and soon, the other Rangers had left City Hall in favor of the MegaZord. As they fought against Goldenrod, Tommy resumed his battle against Goldenrod's father.

Zeltrax's sword slashes rained down, only to be blocked by Tommy's Brachio Staff each time. Tommy twisted and kicked Zeltrax's sword arm away, before following up with two kicks to Zeltrax's chest, driving the cyborg back. The two of them strained against each other, their weapons locked.

"Give it up, Zeltrax!"

"Never!"

Zeltrax shoved Tommy, who used the momentum to somersault over the cyborg and deliver a debilitating blow to Zeltrax's chest after he landed.

"That's not my only trick," Tommy warned, his blood pumping, before he rushed back to fight.

This time, however, Zeltrax was ready for him, landing a hit across his torso. The two of them kept fighting, mixing in a few kicks with their weapon strikes.

"Vengeance shall be mine at last!" Zeltrax crowed as their weapons locked again.

"You keep talking about vengeance – you sure you got the right guy?"

"I know that you are my sworn enemy for life," Zeltrax replied as they switched positions.

_Somehow, that statement doesn't have as much of an impact on me as it should._

"I _seriously_ don't know what you're talking about," Tommy returned. _And I tend to keep good track of who I cross in case they come back to haunt me._

"Then I will explain it to you after I make you watch my son destroy your beloved students!"

Tommy's rage spiked again, snapping through all the barriers he'd erected to keep it under control.

_You mess with me, I'll repay you in kind. You mess with the people I care about, and I will visit the wrath of the Underworld upon you __tenfold__._

"Sorry, not gonna happen!" Tommy retorted, somersaulting again and slashing down across Zeltrax's torso as hard as he could.

"Nobody messes with my students!" Tommy snarled, as Zeltrax stumbled and fell behind him, his circuits fried.

"Later days, Zeltrax," the Balck Ranger tossed over his shoulder, not looking back, and not listening to Zeltrax's demands for him to stay and fight.

Tommy raced over to Goldenrod and the MegaZord. The fight was not going in favor of the Rangers. Suddenly Goldenrod turned away from them, only to try and step on Tommy like a bug.

_You little piece of filth…_

Tommy could feel that dark rage, that dark power he'd fought so long and so hard to put to rest pounding through his veins, demanding to be set free. He rolled out of the way, his hands tight around his weapon.

_No. No, I won't. Not again. I have to stay in control._

He felt something else flowing beside the darkness, something old and infinitely wise, shielding him.

_What…_

Tommy glanced down at his Brachio Staff. He could see new symbols engraved on it now, for Earth, Wind, and Fire – his strongest elements. A dark smile stretched across his face. He now had an offensive power he could use when his physical skills wouldn't help him.

_Goldenrod is going to die._

"Brachio Staff! Wind Strike!"

Tommy rammed his staff into the ground, Power surging through him. Gale-force winds burst from the staff, slamming into Goldenrod.

Immediately, Tommy twisted his staff and slammed it back down. "Earthquake! Strike now!"

The ground tore apart and shuddered, creating a crevasse that nearly swallowed Goldenrod whole, but Tommy wasn't done.

One last time, he twisted the staff and slammed it down, crying, "Fire Strike!"

All of his anger, all of his pain and hatred burned through him and he poured it all into his attack.

"Full Power!"

It was almost too much; Tommy's body strained, unable to cope with what he was forcing it to do. However, hatred and rage tend to become beasts of their own, wild and uncontrollable. The Power tore through him, racing towards its target: Goldenrod.

"Yeah!" the Rangers cheered as Goldenrod was finally destroyed, and a laugh bubbled up in Tommy's throat.

Until Zeltrax's words, carried by the wind, hit him. _"He was the only family I've ever known…"_

Tommy froze.

He'd killed a child.

'_I will make you proud, Father!'_

Bile rose up his throat. He'd killed a child, who had only ever followed his father's orders. Who had only ever wanted to make his father proud. He'd torn apart a family from someone who'd barely had one.

The Rangers were around him now, cheering. Why were they cheering? Didn't they understand what a monstrous act he'd just committed?

Conner clapped him on the shoulder as Ethan laughed and Kira said, "Thanks, Dr. O! Without you, we'd have been toast!"

And with that, the world made sense again. He fought for these three teens. For Trent and Eleanor. For Hayley. For their safety and their future.

And for the people he cared about, he would do _anything_.

Tommy demorphed, smiling slightly. Kira stiffened as she noticed how pale he was.

"Dr. Oliver…"

Tommy chuckled. "Relax, Kira. I'm fine. That last attack just took a little out of me."

The three Rangers demorphed, and Ethan scoffed, "Dr. O, your definition of 'fine' and everyone else's definition of 'fine' are, like, in two separate galaxies."

Tommy shook his head. "Not this time, Ethan."

He rolled his shoulders. "Come on, let's go find Trent and Councilwoman Sanchez."

"Ah," Conner replied, "Sorry, Dr. O, I gotta jet. I 'm helping my Mom paint the garage. She thinks I'm taking a walk to clear my head of paint fumes."

Kira turned her gaze on Conner. "Yeah, we don't need those paint fumes destroying what little brain cells you have left, Conner."

Conner placed a hand over his heart dramatically, retorting, "Kira, Kira, you hurt me so. Anyway, later, guys."

The others waved as he disappeared in a blur of red.

"I've got to get back home, too, Dr. O," Kira said regretfully, "Mom's got some friends over, so I have to help her play hostess."

Tommy and Ethan both winced in sympathy.

"Good luck," Ethan said, "We'll fill you in later."

Kira nodded and teleported out.

"Looks like it's just you an me, Ethan."

Ethan grinned. "That's cool. Let's go save the Cyberspace!"

Tommy cast one last look at the ground – now closed over – where Goldenrod had fallen, before turning and walking away.

* * *

"Trent? Eleanor? Everything alright?"

Eleanor and Trent sat on a bench at the far side of City Hall. The Councilwoman looked up, her face brightening.

"Tommy!"

She stood up, hugging him tightly, much to the surprise of the teens, now demorphed. The two adults weren't paying them much mind, though. Eleanor stepped back, casting a critical eye over Tommy.

_Oh dear. Here comes the mothering._

"Well, Tom," she said with a quirk of her lips, "Have you been taking good care of yourself?"

_Right on target. Come on, Ellie, I'm twenty-five years old with a stable job, my own car, and my own house._

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Really? That's the first thing you're going to ask me? Some things never change."

Eleanor grinned. "Oh please, little brother, you know I'll never stop."

_I love you, too, sis._

Tommy chuckled. "Too true. You probably still tell Maria to eat properly at lunch and dinner."

Eleanor scoffed, "It's Maria, what do you expect? But, onto business. Trent has been explaining the situation with Anton Mercer and the Cyberspace."

Tommy nodded. "Anton's making a big mistake. The Cyberspace is a safe haven for the students of Reefside High. It would be a terrible thing to lose that."

Eleanor sighed. "Well, this is a marked change from the last time we talked about Dr. Mercer, isn't it? Especially with all the support he gave Drescott House."

Tommy's eyes narrowed. _He's holding Drescott House over your head?_

"Dr. Mercer has given a lot of money to the city over the years," Eleanor said, "I'm not sure what I can do."

"Why don't you come to the café and take a look around," Ethan suggested.

Tommy nodded. "That's a good idea. Why don't you and Maria come down? We could grab a drink and catch up some."

Eleanor raised an eyebrow and smirked. "And you and your teens can regale me with tales of how wonderful the café is?"

Tommy smiled winningly. "You hit the nail right on the head, sis. So, what do you say?"

Eleanor smiled. "Sure. Let me just tell Maria I'm heading out for the day."

Twenty minutes later found the four of them back at the Cyberspace.

"Whoa, hey, let me get that for you, Hayley," Trent said, as the red-haired woman neared them with a large, full tray.

Hayley smiled slightly. "Thanks, Trent."

Hayley turned to the newcomer.

"Hayley, this is Councilwoman Eleanor Sanchez," Tommy introduced, "Ellie, this is Hayley Ziktor, owner of the café."

"Pleased to meet you," Hayley said, shaking Eleanor's hand.

"Likewise," Eleanor replied, "I'm sorry, but have we met before? You seem familiar."

"Hayley helped out with the Drescott House protests," Tommy explained.

Eleanor's smile widened. "I see. Well, we managed to save Drescott House; let's see if we can't do the same for the Cyberspace."

Hayley brightened for the first time that day.

Eleanor lifted her briefcase. "I have with me the terms of Dr. Mercer's agreement with the city, as well some of our major policies. Why don't we see if we can work something out for the café?"

"That'd be great," Hayley replied, "If you could come back over to the counter… Tommy, Ethan, you guys need anything to drink?"

"Nah, I'm good, Hayley," Ethan replied.

Before Tommy could reply, a girl's voice cut across, "Dr. Oliver! Dr. Oliver, I-need-help! I-totally-missed-the-lecture-on-biomes-'cause-of-my-dentist-appointment-and-I-tried-reading-the-book-but-it-totally-sucks-at-teaching-compared-to-you-and-I-really-need-to-keep-my-grade-up-else-Mom-will-go-totally-nuclear-on-me-and-"

"Leslie!" Tommy interrupted, "Breathe, please."

The girl paused and took a deep breath. Before she could resume her string of chatter, Tommy had guided her back over to a table to look over her homework.

Hayley shook her head. "We're not going to see much of him for a while. Once Tommy gets into Teacher Mode…"

Eleanor chuckled. "It seems some things don't change over time. Tommy was always a sucker for a cry for help."

"Oh, absolutely," Hayley agreed with a grin.

The two women and Ethan moved over to the counter, and Eleanor handed a packet to Hayley.

"These are the exact terms of the purchase," she explained, "It's pretty airtight."

Hayley nodded and started reading. Trent joined them a few minutes later, reading over Ethan's shoulder.

"Hey, there's something," he said a while later, "It says here that the City Council has the power to put land purchases on hold."

Eleanor looked over where he was pointing and nodded. "You're right. We can't cancel Dr. Mercer's purchase, but this might be a good alternative. We'd need at least one hundred signatures for the petition – Er, Hayley? Is Tommy supposed to be writing on your windows?"

Hayley, Trent, and Ethan looked over to the side of the café, where Tommy had gathered a small crowd of students and was using the window as a chalkboard.

"Oh, yes, he does that from time to time. He'll clean it up himself, though, so I don't mind too much. I don't know why he won't just let me get him a portable chalkboard."

Eleanor bit her lip, smiling. "Some thing really don't change… Tommy used to write on the windows at Drescott House, too. Sometimes the walls, too, but we got in trouble for that."

Of course, that had been more because they had no money for chalkboards, and didn't want to get caught by their caretakers. Drescott children back then didn't have an easy life in the orphanage _or_ out of it, and many had tried to forsake school altogether. Tommy was the one who'd come up with the idea to use the windows to teach so that they didn't waste paper.

Eleanor could clearly remember an eight-year-old Tommy surrounded by four- and five-year-olds, teaching them to write their letters, making sure no one wrote on the walls. The one time they'd done that that, they'd been caught... and the results hadn't been pretty.

Hunger. Pain. Loneliness. Paralyzing fear.

Eleanor pushed aside the flashes of memory with the ease of years of practice, focusing on more pleasant memories. Like Tommy, twelve, and teaching some of the other orphans a beginners karate kata.

She shook her head. "That man was born to be a teacher."

"Just like you were born to be a mother?" Tommy's voice teased.

Eleanor jumped, startled. She's been lost in thought longer than she realized. She scowled and slapped Tommys arm lightly.

"Don't be ridiculous, Tommy."

Tommy grinned mischievously. "You know it's true, Ellie."

Eleanor hit him again, harder, but she was grinning. "Watch your tone."

Tommy ignored Ethan and Trent choking on air and teased back, "Whatever you say, Mother Dearest."

Eleanor wrinkled her nose at the old nickname, before replying slyly, "That's rich, coming from the Boy Who Fell From The Stars."

Tommy grimaced. "Oh, come on, Ellie, you can't still remember that! We were five!"

"The Boy Who Fell From The Stars?" Ethan asked amusedly.

Ignoring Tommy's glare and mutterings, Eleanor replied, "That's what we used to call Tommy, among other things."

"There's a story behind that," Hayley added.

"Hayley!"

Hayley grinned back at Tommy mischievously and Tommy groaned. Seeing his students' expectant faces, he muttered, "Fine, fine. You guys know Cradle Rock out on State Road 375?"

The teens nodded. Cradle Rock, as its name implied, was a stone shaped oddly like a cradle that stood beside State Road 375 on the outskirts of town.

"You know how it got its name?"

"Something about babies and a wacked out Native American ritual, wasn't it?" Ethan replied.

Tommy rolled his eyes skyward as Eleanor and Hayley snickered. _Die, Alan, die._

"I'm going to shoot Alan the next time I see him," he informed them.

Eleanor shook her head. "You've been saying that for over a decade now, and last I checked, Alan's still the manager of Best Buy."

"How do you know he's not a zombie?"

"Tommy."

"Fine, fine," Tommy muttered, suitably chastised by his older sister, and turned back to the teens, "Anyway, the point is, that myth started because of me. I was the baby found on Cradle Rock. Alan, who was a lifer at Drescott House when they found me, decided it would be amusing to spread that story. He's also the one who gave me the 'Boy Who Fell From The Stars' nickname, because of my heritage."

"You're Native?" Trent asked.

"You're the baby from Cradle Rock?" Ethan demanded.

"Yes on both counts," Tommy replied, taking the glass of Coke Hayley held out to him.

"Listening to the two of you has to be the best entertainment I've had all day," Hayley teased, "So, Eleanor, do you have any embarrassing stories of Tommy to share?"

Eleanor grinned wickedly. "Of course. I've known Tommy since he was in diapers – half the time, I was the one changing said diapers."

"_Eleanor!_ I have to teach those two in class tomorrow!" Tommy groaned, gesturing towards Ethan and Trent.

The boys sniggered, before clearing their throats and trying to blank their expression of all mirth.

"It's cool, Dr. O," Ethan said, "We won't say anything."

_The twinkling in your eyes warns me otherwise._

"Revenge is a dish best served cold, Tommy," Eleanor said sweetly. As the others looked at her curiously, she continued, "Do you have any idea how awkward it is when your date gets interrogated by a boy seven years younger than you?"

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Ellie, I may have been nine, but even I could tell the only thing the scumbag wanted was to get in your pants."

Eleanor gave him a flat stare.

_Ellie, you're fantastically brilliant at a lot of things, but when it came to the guys you dated... well, it's a good thing you had me, Alan, and Duke around._

Eleanor turned back to the others. "It was him, Alan, and another boy named Duke - they were the ringleaders. The three of them acted like, well I suppose of a mix of father, uncle, and brother."

Tommy smiled at Ellie fondly. "Hey, Drescott Kids look after their own."

"That we do," Ellie replied softly, "That we do."

"Besides," Tommy continued cheerfully, "There's a reason Ellie's nickname is 'Mother Dearest… always making sure we ate properly and on time, making sure that we weren't hurt, that we were clean, that we weren't out doing anything stupid or dangerous…"

"Well, someone had to try and keep you out of trouble, didn't they?" Eleanor returned playfully.

The memories weren't playful, though. She remembered pulling an older boy off a four-year-old Tommy, revealing bruises that didn't fade for a month. She didn't know what the fight was about, nor was she ever able to find out, but that was the last time Tommy ever cried at Drescott House.

"So what have got?" Tommy asked.

"We're looking at starting a petition to put the purchase on hold… But, there's such a small window of time…"

Tommy glanced around the café. "We need at least a hundred, right? There are easily sixty people here, and there's still a lot of time before closing. You should be able get a hundred people, even if it means getting some morning signatures before you take the petition down."

"Actually," Eleanor cut in, "I think it would be better if Tommy presented the petition to the Council."

_Say what now?_

Eleanor turned to Tommy seriously. "Tommy, the everyone on the Council was present during the Protests. They know what you've done for Drescott House. You're already well-known and well-trusted."

It was thanks to Tommy that Anton Mercer gave his support to Drescott House. It was thanks to Tommy that the public even knew what was going on, and were swayed to the side of preserving Drescott House. It was thanks to Tommy that the morale of the protesters stayed up until the end.

More importantly, it was thanks to Tommy that Drescott House even went through a change in caretakers all those years ago.

She had been nineteen, just having finished her first year at the University of Southern California. She remembered the police sirens. The officers arresting the scum that were supposed to run the orphanage. The sobs of relief and _freedom_ from the children around her. She remembered Tommy, battered and bruised, giving one of the officers a bloody smile and saying that the only twelfth birthday present he wanted was a caretaker for Drescott House _not_ straight out of Oliver Twist.

Tommy looked back at his sister. He'd asked that he not be mentioned by name in the report, because he didn't want the publicity. He just wanted his family's safety and happiness. How the City Council found out about it was anyone's guess, but he supposed it had to be recorded _somewhere_.

Tommy nodded. "Alright. We need to get it written up and signed tonight, though, so I can submit it tomorrow morning before work. Ellie, can you get it pushed through before 6 tomorrow evening?"

Eleanor nodded. "Yes, I have a few favors I can call in to get it pushed to the top of the day's agenda."

"Then let's get writing," Tommy said, ducking behind the counter to get his own briefcase. Pulling out two notepads and two pens, he turned to Ethan and Trent.

"You two mind getting signatures?"

The boys glanced at each other before shrugging.

"Sure."

"Not a problem."

"Great. Trent, go talk to the customers. Ethan, go find Conner and Kira, and then any other students who would sign in the area."

Trent nodded and set of with a notepad and pen. Ethan looked at his teacher uncomfortably. "I don't really know who lives near Conner and Kira."

_I'm sure you don't, hacker boy._

Tommy gave him a dry look. "Find out?"

Ethan's brow furrowed. "Wha – How?"

Tommy smirked. "The same way you found my house."

Ethan's eyes widened before he gained a sheepish expression. "Ah… this is payback, isn't it?"

Tommy simply patted his shoulder. As Eleanor said, revenge was a dish best served cold.

"He found your house?" Eleanor asked.

"Hacked into the school directory from his PDA," Tommy replied, "I swear, the kid's practically the next Bill Gates."

"That he is," Hayley agreed, giving Tommy an amused glance, "Now, I've got customers to take care of, so…"

"Go ahead," Eleanor said, "We'll start writing."

* * *

In the end, they pulled together 483 signatures to save the café, well above what they wanted. Trent convinced several customers to contact their friends and call them down to the café, and Ethan had convinced Conner and Kira to help him gather signatures.

Students, parents – the community came alive that night to save the café.

It was strange, Tommy thought, as he sat down in front of his computer that evening, the different places the children from Drescott House ended up. Unfortunately, many had ended up in prison and dead-end jobs flipping burgers because they'd been dealt such a bad hand in childhood. However, just as many had gone on to be successful.

Eleanor and Maria were working for the city authorities. Alan was the manager of Best Buy. Duke wasn't even in Reefside anymore; last he'd heard he was working for the FBI in Albuquerque. Three of the other boys he'd known had also gone into law enforcement. One of the girls was a chef. Two others had gone into teaching. One was a nurse, and another was in pre-Med. Many of the other orphans he'd only known for a few months, and lost contact with soon after, and others either refused flat out to have anything to do with Drescott House, or their adoptive parents did.

He still kept in contact with the ones he could, though, and tried to visit Drescott House as often as he could. He'd taught on of the younger boys to drive earlier that summer, before he left for Onyx. He was on the committee overseeing Drescott House's operations.

Tommy shook his head. Today was a day just full of reminiscing, wasn't it? Just as he finished that thought, a window popped on his monitor.

"Tanya! Hey, how's it going?," Tommy greeted.

"So, what's this I hear about you talking to Kylee Styles?" Tanya said by way of greeting.

Tommy blinked. "Talking to Kylee Styles? Oh, you mean when she was in Reefside on her tour?"

"Yeah, whatever you said to her really shook her up. She's… well, she's become really sweet, gotten rid of that 'pop diva' image. She said it was thanks to you – well, only after I told her I had a friend down in Reefside and we actually got to talking."

Tommy's jaw dropped. "Uh, wow. I wasn't expecting that to happen. I was just, well, talking to her. She had been spouting off some garbage about image and it was hurting Kira…"

Tanya laughed. "I think _you_ should have gotten the bear spirit instead of Aisha, Tommy, with how protective you are of those teens."

Tommy gave a noise of protest, to which Tanya simply laughed and replied, "You know it's true. Anyway, she's actually halted her tour for two weeks – to get back to her roots. She should have arrived in Reefside yesterday afternoon."

"Really? Huh, I wonder if Kira knows?"

"Kira?" Tanya asked, "Kira Ford? Oh! Your Yellow, right? Oh, why did I not make that connection before?"

Tommy chuckled. "You know how the Power works, Tanya. Kira's protected. Did Kylee talk about her?"

Tanya nodded. "Oh yeah. We had a _long_ conversation. We'd met before, you know, same recording company, and all, but we'd never really gotten along, so she actually came down and apologized to me, and asked if we could make a fresh start, so I said yes, and we got to talking-"

"Tanya," Tommy cut in amusedly, "How much caffeine have you had in the past six hours?"

"Far more than we ever allowed her as Rangers," Rocky said, coming onscreen behind Tanya, "Hey, Tommy."

"Hey, Rocky. Where are you guys right now?"

"Seattle. Hence the caffeine," Rocky replied.

Tommy laughed, but before he could respond, his communicator went off.

_Ugh. Trouble, again?_

"Sorry guys, I have to take this."

Tanya and Rocky waved him off. "We know how it is, Tommy. Catch you later."

Tommy waved back them as he spoke into his communicator. "You've got Dr. Oliver. What's going on?"

Kira's voice came back, saying, "Uh, Dr. Oliver? Do you have a moment? It's not really an emergency, and I probably shouldn't be calling, but…"

_Why does my Yellow sound like she's crying? I feel like I should be beating someone up for this._

"What's the matter, Kira?"

"Nothing," the girl replied, "Just the opposite, actually. I wanted to thank you."

Tommy blinked. "Er, you're welcome… What exactly for, again?"

Kira chucked softly. "You gave me my best friend back, Dr. O."

Tommy's eyes widened. "You talked to Kylee?"

It was Kira's turn to be surprised. "Yeah, I – How did you know?"

Tommy smiled, looking back at the computer screen. "I have some friends in the music industry."

Kira chuckled again. "I shouldn't be surprised. So, um, thanks. Kylee's… back to herself, mostly. I mean, she's changed, but just a little, y'know? Just like I have."

Tommy smiled. "I'm glad the two of you managed to reconnect. Hey, I just had a thought…"

"Yeah?"

"I can almost guarantee that Mercer's purchase of the Cyberspace is going to get put on hold. So, why don't you have Kylee sing with you for your gig tomorrow? In celebration?"

"That's… a really good idea. I'll ask Kylee and see what she thinks."

"Sounds good. Get some rest, alright?"

He could imagine Kira rolling her eyes. "Yes, Dr. Oliver. You, too. See you in school."

Tommy simply chuckled.

* * *

"Ethan, did you change clothes?" Kira asked the next evening at the Cyberspace.

Ethan looked sheepish and muttered something about chalk dust. Tommy snickered in the background.

"What did you do, Tommy?" Hayley asked.

Tommy just smirked at her, taking a sip of his coffee. Ethan and Trent had been sniggering throughout his class, until he threw a chalkboard eraser at them, after which, they were too busy choking on chalk dust.

He was surprised Kira didn't remember, but she had spent most of the class period biting back a smile, scribbling in her song notebook, and texting under the table. She was practically euphoric.

"Has anyone seen or heard from Ellie?" Tommy asked, "When I went down to City Hall this morning, she said she'd call as soon as the Council gave their decision.

Hayley shook her head. "No, no word… You don't think the Council voted to let Mercer's purchase go through, do you?"

Tommy shook his head. "No, if that were true, she'd have called immediately."

As if on cue, the doors to the café opened and in came Eleanor Sanchez. Tommy and Hayley were at her side in a flash. The Councilwoman smiled.

"Sorry I'm so late," she said, slightly breathlessly, "The City Council has voted to put Anton Mercer's purchase on hold – permanently. It'll be official once I inform him of their decision in… fifteen minutes."

_That's the best news I've heard all day._

"Oh thank goodness," Hayley said, relieved, "Thank goodness."

"You need a moment, Hayley?" Tommy said gently.

Hayley shook her head, blinking rapidly. "Ah, no, I'll be fine. Can I get you anything, Eleanor? Coffee? Juice? A muffin?"

Eleanor smiled softly. "A muffin and some juice would be lovely, thank you."

Tommy smiled as they women made their way back to the counter. He turned and wove his way through the students gathered, stopping beside a young girl in yellow.

"Kira, why don't you and Kylee start getting ready?"

Kira turned to him, eyes wide. "You mean the café's-"

"It's not official yet, but yes. Keep it to yourself, alright? I want to surprise the others."

Kira nodded with a grin. "Alright. I'll go get Kylee and the boys."

Tommy watched her go with a small smile. The smile promptly dropped off his face though, as none other than Anton Mercer entered the café, surrounded by construction workers and men with rolled-up building plans.

"Okay," the businessman declared, "Let's, ah, get these walls torn out; you can save the computers."

"Hang on," Hayley cut in angrily, "You don't own it yet!"

"Hayley," Anton said, shaking his head, "You know, as much as I hate to say this, you really can't fight City Hall."

Anton couldn't have given Eleanor a better opening if he tried.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Dr. Mercer," she replied, stepping away from the counter and walking towards Hayley.

Anton cleared his throat, crossing his arms to listen reluctantly.

"My name is Eleanor Sanchez, Councilwoman for the 33rd District. It is with great _pleasure_ I inform you that the City Council has voted to put your purchase of this land on hold."

Tommy stepped up behind her, placing a gentle hand on her back. _Easy on the venom, Ellie. Any more, and you'll start spitting acid._

Anton glared at him. "Were you a part of this?"

Tommy swallowed, inwardly balking at the restrained anger in his former mentor's voice.

Eleanor's hackles rose when she saw the hurt flash in Tommy's eyes. No one hurt her little brother if she could help it.

"Actually," she cut across, smirking towards Mercer, "We had your son to thank."

Anton groaned.

"He made me realize," Eleanor continued with conviction, "That a place like this, a safe haven for learning and interaction for the youth of community, is something that shouldn't be disturbed or changed in any way."

By now, Ethan, Conner, Kira, and the other teens at the café had gathered around, showing their support for Hayley. Anton's gaze swept over them and he bit out, "I was only trying to do what's best for my son."

Eleanor gave him the barest of nods, showing that she didn't really believe him, but maybe he did, on some level. Tommy's mind flashed back to the fight against Goldenrod. If he had been in Anton's position, what would he have done? Would he have gone through with the purchase if he thought it was in Trent's best interests, even if it hurt Trent?

Anton's jaw clenched and he swallowed. "Well. I'll just be going then."

He turned back, and the café erupted in cheers.

"Yeah!"

"Thank you," Hayley said to Eleanor again, pulling the other woman into a hug.

"You're very welcome, Hayley," Eleanor replied.

"This is awesome!" Ethan cheered from the door.

"Has anyone seen Trent?" Kira wondered behind Tommy.

"Not since class," Tommy replied.

"He came in a little bit earlier," Hayley informed them, "But he said he was going home to try and convince his Dad not to come down to the café."

Tommy glanced over to the door. "Hey guys, I'll be back in a little bit."

"Where are you going?" Hayley asked.

Tommy gave her a slightly bitter smile. "Anton was supposed to meet with me today at 6… but I think he was going to work on the Cyberspace to avoid me."

Hayley winced. "Go after him."

Tommy nodded. "Yeah. I'll be back in a little while."

Tommy smiled as he passed an exuberant Ethan. Outside, Trent held a hand to his head, looking pale and disoriented.

_What happened to him?_

"Trent? Everything alright?"

The teen looked up at him, blinking as if to clear his head. "Uh, y-yeah, I'm… Yeah, I'm fine, Dr. O."

Tommy gave him a disbelieving look. "Are you sure about that?"

Trent gave a weak laugh. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"Alright," Tommy acquiesced, clapping the teen on his shoulder, "You'd better get inside. Hayley's about to hang up your drawing."

Trent's brow furrowed. "My drawing?"

"Yeah, the one of Kira."

Tommy bit back a laugh at the panicked expression on Trent's face.

"What the – how did she get a hold of that? Excuse me, Dr. O!"

Tommy stepped aside and chuckled as the teen dashed past him into the café. He righted one of the plastic chairs that had been knocked over on the patio as he crossed over to parking lot.

"Anton!"

The businessman stopped, his posture screaming reluctance and displeasure.

"What can I do for you, Dr. Oliver?" he said coldly, as Tommy approached him.

Tommy pasted a genial smile on his face. "Well, your secretary scheduled a meeting for us today at 6, but I, ah, guess you forgot about it."

"Oh. Of course," Anton replied flatly, and Tommy could see in his eyes that he hadn't forgotten at all.

Anton made a show of looking down at his watch. "Well, as you can imagine, I'm a very busy man, so-"

"D*** it, Anton," Tommy snapped angrily, "Don't play this game with me. I know you better than that."

Anton clenched his jaw. Tommy ignored the bodyguards looming threateningly at the edges of his field of vision, ready to step in with a signal from Anton.

"Anton, you have to have been in Reefside long enough to have seen the havoc Mesogog and the Tyrannodrones have been causing! _Our experiments-_"

"Tommy," Anton cut in with a sigh, "If what you believe is true, then perhaps you're better off talking to the authorities, or someone more… capable… of dealing with the situation."

Tommy understood the words unsaid: the Power Rangers.

Anton's gaze bored into him as the older man continued, "Our partnership produced many things, good things, but that's in the past. It's time to move on. For both of us."

Anton turned to enter his car, looking away from Tommy's stricken expression. Tommy closed his eyes.

_Get it together, Oliver. Anton or no Anton, you still have bigger concerns. You still have a city and a planet to protect, and a monster to destroy. You can't afford to fall apart because of an obstacle in your path._

When Tommy opened his eyes, they were calm and determined. He gave the car a curt nod, not questioning whether or not Anton could see him, and turned back to the Cyberspace. This evening was going to be one of celebration, after all.

He entered the café in time to hear Kira say, "-with a friend of mine a long time ago. I hope you like it."

Kira strummed her guitar and leaned towards the mike. "_Best friends, they come and go depending on your highs and your lows…_

"_My best friend decided to be there when I needed her the most…"_

Tommy felt a rush of pride as he listened to her sing._ That girl is something else. She's going to go far. They all are._

"_I thought you'd be there for me, then why did you lie to me, using me to get what you want?"_

Conner and Ethan smiled up at Kira from the crowd. Trent weaved his way through the crowd and looked up her with a grin.

"_Then I couldn't believe it happened… No, I couldn't understand…"_

Kylee Styles stepped onto the stage beside Kira, crossing over to the other mike and drawing surprised and enthusiastic cheers.

"Did you know Kylee would be here?" Conner whispered to him as he applauded.

Tommy nodded with a smile. "I did. I asked Kira to bring her to celebrate."

"_True love, it broke my heart, you made my whole life soar,"_ the girls smiled at each other, Kylee's descant lacing Kira's rich alto.

"_He said he'd be my baby, then why did he betray me? Temptation got to his head…"_

Out of the corner of his eye, Tommy saw Cassidy give a soft laugh, reaching out to Devin.

"_Then I left him, yeah – and this is what I said…"_

Kira's voice rang out alone, "_It feels like it's gonna be okay…"_

"_Gonna be okay,_" Kylee echoed.

"_It feel like… it just feels that way,_" Kira sang, grinning at Kylee again.

The taller girl grinned back and picked up, "_It just feels that way…"_

Their voices joined again as the song wound down. "_It feels like it'll be a better day, 'cause I believe that in that in the end, good things are coming my way."_

The Cyberspace exploded with cheers as they finished. Tommy grinned, clapping his hands loudly as Kira and Kylee hugged. No matter what dangers they would face in the future, no matter what obstacles stood in their path, as long as they stood together…

Good things were coming their way.

* * *

A/N: Whew. Done. So, what did you guys think? Good? Bad? Too long? Too rushed? Let me know, please!

I stretched Golden Boy over a few days, because, while I don't know the workings of the city laws too well, I know that people would be given a fair amount of notice to move out if their land had been purchased, and petitions are the best way to make the city government listen. At least, that's how it work where I live.

Further, if anyone thinks Tommy's moral crises were not adequately addressed, worry not. They'll be back.

Anyway, please leave a review!


	11. Interlude: ParentTeacher Conferences

A/N: ... Oh, you've got to be kidding me. My browser just timed out, and I lost about eight hundred words' worth on Author's Notes and extras, which means I have to redo it all. So, forgive me if I sound a little cranky. Anyway, an update! Proof that I am not dead in a ditch somewhere! As a forewarning, the story begun in this chapter doesn't get wrapped up until the next chapter, which is a lot more interesting. This chapter has a lot of what can loosely be termed as 'fluff'. However, a lot of the information presented here will become important later in the story.

My heartfelt thanks to everyone you has been keeping up with this story. I truly appreciate your support and attention. Gilded Discourse, thank you for leaving a review. I'm really glad you're enjoying the realism and the details. Don't worry, the romance isn't coming for a long while yet. Special thanks to PinkRangerV for the support and advice in creating this chapter.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The Power Rangers franchise belongs to Saban, though Disney may own the specific rights to DinoThunder. I was never too sure on that, since, oh, I don't actually have the contract in front of me. Either way, I own nothing.

That being said, read and enjoy!

* * *

_'Yes, father!'_

Tommy lurched up, breathing sharply, his pupils dilated. A cold sweat formed a sheen across his forehead and his heart hammered in his chest. For a few minutes, the only sound in the bedroom was the paleontologist's harsh breathing.

Tommy pressed his palms against his temples. _Get out of my head!_

He sighed heavily and looked around. The red digital display on his alarm clock blared out '5:25 AM' and the curtains were pulled shut, letting very little light into the room.

Well, he certainly wasn't getting anymore sleep before work.

Though the memory was fading, that had been his third nightmare about Goldenrod since the battle itself. Three nightmares in six nights wasn't too bad, definitely not as bad as things had gotten after he had been freed from Rita's spell, or from the Machine Empire's brainwashing.

But those times, he had been an unwilling servant of evil. This time, he had acted under his own power. Tommy sighed and pushed himself up. There was no point in brooding now. He had to get ready for work.

"Rough night, Tommy?" Hayley asked.

Tommy, who had his head resting on his folded arms on the counter in Hayley's café, sent back a mumbled reply, coupled with a vague groan.

Hayley stared down at him, before glancing over the clock on her wall.

"Don't you have a no-alcohol-after-three-in-the-morning rule?"

Tommy lifted his head, wearing a highly disgruntled expression. "I'm _not_ drunk. I'm waiting for the caffeine from my breakfast to kick in before I go in for work. Though a shot of vodka doesn't actually sound that bad right now. Got any Smirnoff?"

"What a good example you're setting for your students, Tommy," a dry voice commented from behind him.

Tommy turned around, his face brightening. "Ellie! Maria! What brings you two down here?"

Eleanor Sanchez, Councilwoman for the 33rd District, and a petite brunette beside her, Maria Davis, nodded and smiled at Tommy.

"Just stopping by for a smoothie before work," Maria replied, stepping over to give Tommy a hug, "What about you?"

"Same," Tommy replied, "Just waiting for the caffeine to kick in."

"I thought you enjoyed teaching," Eleanor said, after giving their order to Hayley.

"Eh, teaching I'm fine with, It's just that today we have Parent-Teacher Conferences."

Eleanor and Maria exchanged glances and snickered. "But you work so well with parents!"

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, several hours of telling parents why their 'little angels' aren't actually angels, and why their 'little monsters' aren't actually monsters. I'm thrilled."

Hayley brought back two smoothies and Tommy stood up. "And more importantly, I'm playing college advisor to half of them, so I get to explain to their parents why their son or daughter isn't going to whatever college they had originally planned."

"CSU instead of an Ivy League?" Hayley asked.

"Are you kidding? I've got kids who want to go to art school, culinary school, dance school, two who don't even want to stay in the country… and, of course, their parents don't know about it. I swear, Randall gave me all the trouble kids."

Maria laughed, linking arms with her brother. "But you love them all anyway, right, Tommy?"

Tommy shook his head with a chuckle. "Oh yeah. Those are _my_ kids. Even the ones who spend more time in detention than in my class."

"Tommy, don't forget your briefcase," Hayley called out.

Tommy froze, before cringing sheepishly. Hayley shook her head as he turned back and reached under his stool for his briefcase, saying, "Tommy, you have a memory like a sieve."

Tommy's head shot up. _Hayley, don't say that in front of – _

Behind them, Maria dropped her smoothie, her eyes wide and haunted. She stumbled back, stuttering, "I-I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry – I shouldn't have – I just – Sorry-"

Hayley and Tommy were at Maria's side immediately, though for different reasons. Tommy took her arm as she panicked, and Hayley soothed, "Hey, it's alright, let me just mop it up."

_Come on, Maria, calm down, sis._

Tommy pulled Maria close and the woman curled into him, her panic giving way to sobs. Tommy cursed inwardly and guided his sister over to a back table.

"Maria… Maria, listen to me. You need to calm down. Everything's fine, just relax. It's okay-"

"It is _not_ okay," Maria rebutted angrily through her tears, "It _will never be_ okay! Beating a twelve-year-old child into a bloody pulp was not, is not, and will not be okay! Your mem-"

"Maria, that's enough!" Tommy said firmly.

Maria bit her lip, a longer diatribe straining to break free. Tommy swallowed. "That's enough, Maria. It's been thirteen years… It's in the past."

"That doesn't – that doesn't make it alright! Why aren't you more upset about this?"

Tommy sighed. They'd had this same argument a hundred times before. "It's in the past, Maria. What good does getting angry do? They're in prison for life, with no parole, and I'm free to live my life."

Tommy looked at Maria, raising a hand to wipe away her tears. "_We're_ free to live our lives, Maria. If you let the past keep haunting you… you're letting them win."

Maria shook her head, pushing Tommy's hand away and rubbing her own eyes. "Not everyone is as strong as you are, Hero… Sorry. I should be over this by now. After all, it's been thirteen years."

Tommy smiled softly and rested his hand on his sister's shoulder.

_Well, this is an auspicious start to the morning._

Hayley stilled her mop and sent a warning glare to the few patrons of the café who were gaping at Tommy and Maria. It wouldn't serve to quell the rumors that were bound to spring up, but it could at least dampen them.

Hayley turned to Eleanor, who was watching the two with a tight, weary expression. "Something tells me that Maria probably doesn't even know she dropped her smoothie."

Eleanor's grip tightened around her own smoothie and she set her jaw. She knew what was going on, why Maria nearly had a breakdown at the mention of Tommy's atrocious memory.

She knew, because she'd been there at the cause. They both had.

The blinding white walls of a hospital room.

A neurologist's droning voice and her siblings' screams of protest. Or were they hers?

Faint scars that even now Maria was tracing.

Eleanor shook her head, banishing the memories. It was in the past. She had to move on. For _his_ sake, if not her own.

"It's in the past," Eleanor replied softly.

Hayley watched her intently, before looking back over to Tommy. "The past can be harder to move on from for some people than it is for others."

Eleanor nodded, silently thanking Hayley for understanding, for not pressing for answers. It still hurt to remember the bright young boy Tommy had been, one who could have easily skipped grades if he had been inclined, and then remember the frustrated child who had to _work_ to remember anything. He was doing better now, much better than she could have hoped for, but some scars never fade.

By the time Maria and Tommy returned to Eleanor, Hayley had a fresh smoothie ready and waiting.

"Thank you," Maria said softly, "I'm sorry about the mess; I can-"

"Don't worry about it," Hayley replied smoothly, "It's on the house."

Maria smiled, and it was as if the past several minutes had never happened. Tommy chuckled and squeezed her shoulder gently. "Well, ladies, I'd love to stay and chat, but I really _do_ need to get to work before Principal Randall discovers I'm not in my room half an hour before conferences start. I'll see you this evening Hayley."

"Sure thing, Tommy," Hayley replied as the group split apart. She'd always thought that Tommy's ability to mask his emotions in front of others was a unique talent, but after seeing Eleanor and Maria, she wondered if it was something he'd been forced to learn.

Well, this was certainly an interesting morning.

* * *

"Thank you very much, Dr. Oliver."

"The pleasure's all mine, Mrs. Creswell," Tommy said with a smile, "Thank you for coming down. Take care, Brianna."

"Bye, Dr. O!"

Tommy bit back a sigh as the Creswells left. Seven out of the twenty-four conferences he had scheduled, and he was already ready to ram his fist into the chalkboard. The first meeting had gone fine – not only was the student doing well in his class, but her parents also supported her fully in her college choices. The conference after that… well, he still shuddered when thinking about it.

_Poor Jessie… I thought she was going to faint when her mother leaned over the table. Of course, with a shirt cut low enough that I could see her bra, I don't think there was any doubt what Mrs. Camaran really came here for._

He'd also had to bear witness to two parents' severe disapproval of their children's progress in his class. One father looked ready to tear into his son right then and there, and it was only the combined efforts of Tommy and the mother that kept peace.

The other parent, the mother of a sophomore boy, was convinced that it was entirely Tommy's fault that her son wasn't performing well – it had nothing to do with the fact that he spent half his time flicking paper footballs to his friends. Clearly, it was his teaching methods that weren't up to par. She proceeded to spend most of the allotted fifteen minutes lecturing him on how to correctly teach high school students – though what a business woman knew on the subject was anyone's guess. Tommy spent his time mentally counting how many different genera of dinosaur he knew. He made it to 357 before time ran out.

A polite 'Thank you for your advice. I'll keep it in mind, but I have another meeting lined up,' and the conferences moved on.

_Well, let's see who I have next – oh. Fantastic._

Scrawled on the sign-up sheet in his student's small, scratchy handwriting were the words 'Trent Fernandez – Anton Mercer.'

Tommy gave a soft sigh. This was going to be an interesting fifteen minutes.

"Rough day?"

The paleontologist's head snapped up. Trent stood at the door, and amused and somewhat sheepish expression on his face.

"Something like that," Tommy replied, "Come on in."

Trent nodded, before stepping inside. "It's, uh, it's just me. Dad just called saying he was busy with work."

Tommy nodded. _Of course he is_. _Come on, Anton, I know an evasion tactic when I see one._

"You didn't have to come down, then," Tommy pointed out wryly, "Parent-Teacher conferences are generally for the parents."

"And for students to defend themselves," Trent rebutted jokingly, "Can't have you telling Dad what a horrible student I am without hearing my side of the story, right?"

Tommy chuckled. "I don't think you have anything to worry about, Trent. You're fourth in the class. Most of the conference would have been bringing your Dad up to speed on your college applications."

Trent grimaced. "Maybe it's a good thing he's at work, then."

Tommy pulled a green folder from his desk drawer, one eyebrow raised. "You still haven't told him?"

Trent sighed, shrugging. Tommy shook his head and gestured for Trent to sit down. It was Trent's choice when to reveal his college plans to his father.

"Anton's not going to disown you, you know," Tommy commented. _Well, the Anton I remember wouldn't. The Anton I see now reminds me of my father, and, well, he actually did disown me._

"I guess," Trent muttered listlessly, "I just don't want to have to fight with him about it, and I _know_ he's going to argue."

"Are you planning on taking the ACT this month?" Tommy asked, changing the subject.

"Yes," Trent said with a groan, "Thanks for reminding me. _And_ Dad's got me signed up for the SAT _next_ month."

"I feel your pain," Tommy commiserated, "I hated taking those tests when I was in high school."

Trent perked up.

"But I have to agree with your Dad, taking both tests again will help you improve your scores and increase your chances of getting accepted – for NYU, Platt, CSU and UCLA."

Trent groaned. "Come on, Dr. Oliver, you're supposed to be on my side!"

Tommy chuckled. "Would you rather me be on your side or the side that gets you into a college with a good art program?"

Trent gave a mock scowl and muttered under his breath.

Tommy snorted. "No, you don't, because to go back you'd need official permission from the government, which involves far more paperwork than your college applications. And then there's the whole Communist-state-no-civilian-rights thing."

Trent narrowed his eyes, his lips thinning. Tommy could see his fists clenched under the table.

_Okay, touchy subject. Way to stick your foot in it, again, Oliver. Next time a student says he wants to go back to his native country in another language, just keep your mouth shut and don't reveal that you know what he's saying._

Tommy changed the subject again, by asking, "Have you given any thought to the topic of your personal statement?"

Trent sighed, slouching in his chair. "Ugh, yeah. I've got a few ideas, but whenever I sit down to write, I either can't, or it comes out as junk."

Tommy winced in sympathy. "Yeah, I remember doing that, too." _Of course, half the time, I wasn't able to sit down long enough to finish my personal statement because of Mondo's attacks._

Trent looked up at him. "Yeah? What did you write about, Dr. O?"

"If I remember correctly, martial arts, and the impact it had on my life." _Like allowing me to meet Jason, becoming a Power Ranger, teaching me self-discipline and self-control…_

"No way! You're a martial artist? Cool! I mean, I should have figured, with the way you dealt with that gold freak the other day, but, it never really clicked, because you're always so-"

"Trent, breathe," Tommy cut in amusedly.

"Sorry," Trent said embarrassedly, "It's just… I learned some street fighting, and I always thought it would be cool to know what learning real martial arts would be like."

Tommy smiled. "Well, my door is always open if you want to come pick my brain during one of your free periods."

Trent's face lit up. "Really? Cool!"

Trent slumped back down a few moments later, though. "I still don't know what to do about my essay…"

Tommy tapped the folder thoughtfully. "While I remember from my own college application days that admissions officers would prefer not read the deepest, darkest secrets of your life, I definitely think you should write about something close to your heart, something you feel passionate about, something that sets you apart from the crowd."

Trent smiled ruefully. "For me, that's my art… I just have to figure out how to put it into words!"

Tommy returned Trent's smile. "Unfortunately, I don't think that's something I can help you too much with. You'd probably want to ask an English teacher. I know Mrs. Leigh has helped several students out."

Trent nodded. "Yeah, I think I might just do that. Thanks, Dr. O!"

Tommy smiled as he and Trent moved to get up. "Not a problem, Trent. See if you can make any progress over Break, it'd be great if we could get everything turned in by next month."

"Sure thing, Dr. O. See you around! Good luck with the rest of your conferences!"

_Thanks, Trent. Something tells me I'm going to need it._

_

* * *

_

When Tommy wandered into the Science Department's Teacher's Lounge to use the microwave to heat up his lunch, he nearly burst out laughing at the numerous tired and harried faces he saw.

_Looks like I'm not the only one having trouble with parents_.

"Tom!" James Harding, a Physics instructor called out, "How's your day been?"

"Not too bad, James," Tommy replied, placing his lasagna in the microwave, "Yours?"

"Got propositioned twice by Mrs. Camaran," Mr. Harding replied blithely, pulling some paper towels from the cabinet beside the microwave.

Tommy's eyebrows rose. "Twice? I didn't know Jessie was even taking any Physics classes this year."

"Homeroom, actually," the other teacher replied, "And then I crossed them in the hall coming here."

"Tell me someone got a recording of that," another teacher pleaded, "This I have to see."

"Ask a student, Britton," another woman said, "Someone like Ethan James is sure to have it."

_I think he does, if the grinning I saw on my way here is anything to go by._

"Ah, Ethan," Mr. Britton said dramatically, "A student after my own heart. I've had him in every Computer Science class I teach since he started here in 2001."

"So it's you we can blame for being a bad influence on him?" the woman retorted.

The other teachers hid snickers behind their hands as the Computer Science teacher gained a comical expression and replied, "Oh, you wound me so, Rachel."

The woman simply narrowed her eyes in warning, before turning to Tommy and James. "And you think Camaran is bad? Try being hit on by every male you come across over the age of fourteen – _regardless_ of marital status."

Rachel Elias was regarded by most of Reefside High's male population as Aphrodite incarnate. Fair skin, blonde hair, blue eyes, well developed, long legs, exquisite taste in clothes… She was the type of woman who could have any man eating out of her hand within seconds.

She also had no interest in romance.

Many rumors abounded as to why Ms. Elias rebuffed the advances of every male who asked, ranging from widowhood to preferring the female gender, and every rumor had been met with an icy glare and a crisp 'I don't see how it's any of your business.'

Tommy shook his head. "I can't imagine how irritating that gets, Rachel."

"No," Mr. Harding replied, clapping Tommy on the shoulder, "Tom just has to deal with all the girls giggling and cooing over him in class."

Tommy grimaced. "You would think the novelty of me being a new teacher would have worn off by now."

Several snickers resounded throughout the room. Ms. Elias shook her head. "It never ends, Tommy, trust me. I've been teaching here for six years now; I would know."

_I was really hoping you wouldn't say that._

"So, tell us, Tom," another teacher, the Head of the Science Department, actually, said, "What are your thoughts on your first Parent-Teacher Conference Day?"

Tommy paused, gathering his thoughts. "It was… interesting. Especially the conferences with Mrs. Camaran and Mrs. Bolton."

"You got lectured on your teaching skills?" a Chemistry instructor asked amusedly as Tommy removed his lunch from the microwave, "Ah, I remember the same thing happening to me last year."

The conversation flowed around the room, as the other teachers shared stories of previous conferences they'd had and the antics of both students and parents alike.

"Be glad you're not a humanities teacher," Mr. Harding added, "With the election coming up in a few weeks, the Humanities teachers are hard-pressed keeping a riot from breaking out amongst students _and_ parents."

Tommy grimaced. "I can imagine. I've managed to curb any arguments over politics in my classes, but I haven't managed to completely stop them from springing up."

"I don't think you'll be able to, not with future Senators like Matthew Dixon and Brianna Creswell in the brood."

"And then you've got people like Divya Sharma and Trent Fernandez," Mr. Britton added, "Who can see all the flaws of the American government and will happily point them out to you."

_Trent, really? Well, sixteen years of Communist ideology aren't that easily erased, I suppose._

Before anyone could continue the conversation, a loud voice blared out, "**_POWER RANGERS! I AM THORVEN, EMISSARY FROM THE PLANET HORATH. I HAVE COME, AND I HAVE SEEN THE TAINT YOU LEAVE UPON THIS PLANET! IN THE NAME OF THE FORCES OF LIGHT, I WILL RID THIS WORLD OF YOU! MEET ME AT THE DOCKS AT SUNSET AND FACE YOUR JUDGEMENT!_**"

_I'm sorry, WHAT?_

"Okay, did anyone else just hear the obnoxiously loud voice calling out the Power Rangers?" Mr. Britton asked.

"We heard it," Ms. Elias murmured, "We just don't understand it."

"The Power Rangers just got called out by an alien entity that believes they're evil," Tommy said slowly, his mind working frantically. _Horath, Horath, I know I've heard of it before, but where?_

"But, the Power Rangers are the Earth's defenders," another teacher protested.

_Horath… oh, you've got to be kidding me!_

A long-suppressed memory of a desert arena and a metallic voice and _red_ surfaced.

Horath had been one of the planets conquered by the Machine Empire, one of the planets Zeo Ranger V had been introduced to as the leader of said Empire. No wonder this guy thought Power Rangers were evil.

_But if he's an Emissary, doesn't that put him in Jason's jurisdiction?_

Tommy shook his head and tossed his now-empty carton of lasagna into the trash can. "I'd better get back. Plenty more conferences to go."

Several murmurs of agreement came from the other teachers and Tommy made his way back to his classroom. Somehow, he shouldn't have been surprised to see Conner, Kira, and Ethan standing anxiously by the door.

_I didn't know Kira was even at school today._

"So, did we really just get called out by some alien guy for 'tainting' the planet?" Kira asked without preamble, once they were inside the classroom.

Tommy rubbed his temples. "Unfortunately, yes."

"But we're the _Power Rangers_," Ethan hissed, "We _are_ the 'forces of Light,' aren't we?"

Tommy sighed, "There have been plenty of Evil Rangers on the Earth, and on other planets. My guess is that this Thorven ran into one of them, and therefore thinks Power Rangers are evil."

"Okay, so we go meet him and set him straight," Conner decided, "That shouldn't be too hard."

Tommy shook his head. "I don't think it's going to be that simple, Conner. The way he was speaking… It's likely that he'll attack the moment we set foot on the docks."

"Great."

"So what do we do?" Kira asked, "Can we just _not_ go meet him?"

"Would you rather him tear apart the town looking for us in a misguided attempt to do good?"

"How about we just find him now and kick his butt?" Conner suggested.

"No!" Tommy shot back quickly, "No pre-emptive striking."

"Why not?" Ethan demanded.

Tommy sighed. "I knew I should have introduced you to alien diplomacy earlier… Thorven called himself an Emissary, remember? The short version is that he has diplomatic immunity and we risk interplanetary war if we attack first. The long version I'll fill you in on back in the lab _after_ conferences."

"What?"

"Dr. O!"

"Come on!"

Tommy held up a hand to ward off their protests. "We have until sunset, which isn't for a good six hours more. Hayley has no doubt already started scanning the city for our mystery alien, so all we can do right now is wait."

Seeing the teens' mutinous expressions, Tommy continued, "Being a Ranger isn't just about fighting and destroying monsters, guys. It's also about representing Earth to the rest of the Universe. It's about knowing when to wait and when to strike."

"And now's the time to wait?" Ethan tacked on dryly.

Tommy shot him a look as Conner asked, "What if Mesogog gets to this Thorven guy and convinces him to join forces?"

"What if he already _has_?" Kira added.

"Guys," Tommy cut in, before their minds could dream even worse scenarios, "We have no information right now. If we tried anything, we'd be running in blind, and that's about the stupidest thing we can do. Kira, are you actually here for conferences?"

Kira shook her head. "No, my parents aren't into the whole 'Parent-Teacher Conference' thing."

_They should be, but never mind that right now._

Tommy nodded. "Okay. Can you go down to the café and see if Hayley has any information, then?"

Kira nodded, looking marginally happier for having something to do about the situation. "Yeah, sure."

Tommy turned to Conner and Ethan as she left. "You two should get back to your parents and finish up your conferences. I get done at 2:30, we can meet up in the lab and figure things out after that."

"But-"

"Conferences," Tommy insisted, "You don't need to create more opportunities to reveal your identities than life hands you, alright?"

The boys sighed and nodded. "Yeah, Doc. Sure."

Tommy watched them leave, before a thought struck him. Sticking his head back out the door, he warned, "Both of you are on my conference list within the next two hours, so I'll know if you try to pull anything."

Conner and Ethan froze, each wondering if their teacher was secretly psychic. Ethan's shoulder's slumped as he pushed away any thoughts of chasing down their alien opponent until later that after noon, and Conner turned back slightly, rolling his eyes. "Yes, Dr. O, we'll behave."

Tommy grinned. "I'm holding you to that."

Conner shook his head and clapped Ethan on the shoulder, the pair of them moving on. Tommy chuckled as he turned back to his room. Teenagers. And now, to get ready for the next conference…

* * *

_Thirty minutes. Just two more conferences, and then I can go home._

In all honesty, though, the second half of his day hadn't gone too badly. No unhappy parents, and the two students who weren't doing well were only taking his class to meet graduation requirements and everyone knew it, so Tommy had long since stopped worrying too much about them, and their respective parents felt the same. A mild improvement in grades was all anyone was really expecting.

He'd also met with Ethan and his parents, in what was among the easiest conferences he'd had all day. Ethan was leading the class, having won the position from Jessie Camaran a week before. Ethan had been antsy, no doubt worrying over the Thorven situation, but his mother had calmed him down with a knowing look. Sometimes, it paid to have a parent know the truth.

_Let's see who's left… Conner McKnight and__ Allison Miller. Great._

Tommy looked up at a knock on his door. Conner stood at the threshold, looking mildly irritated, with two adults behind him.

"Conner! Come on in."

"What's up, Doc?" Conner said, a grin tugging at his lips.

Tommy rolled his eyes. "That got old the first fifty times you said it, Conner."

Conner simply snickered, before turning to the woman. "Mom, this is my First Period Science teacher, Dr. Oliver."

Conner turned back to Tommy. "Dr. O, this is my Mom, Sarah McKnight, and my Uncle, Jeff Gregory."

_Uncle, huh? Didn't realize that. An Uncle you don't like, too, by the looks of it._

"So, give it to us straight, Doc," Jeff said with a lazy drawl, "How bad is Conner doing?"

Tommy's eyebrows rose slightly. "Not too badly. He's maintained a C+ average all semester."

Jeff's eyebrows rose dramatically and Sarah's lips curved upward as she placed a hand over Conner's.

Tommy continued, "What I teach is essentially a survey course over several branches of science. We don't go very deep, but we do cover a broad range of topics. First semester focuses on geology and prehistoric life, while second semester focuses on the microscopic aspects that support the first semester's topics, such as organic chemistry and cell structure.

"I see," Sarah murmured with a faint smile, "No astronomy or Physics, though? Those were always my favorites."

Tommy shook his head with a smile. "Ah, no, I', afraid not. I'm a paleontologist by trade, so my areas of expertise are geology, biology, and chemistry."

_And, okay, I'm good with Ranger tech, but that doesn't exactly afford me a computer science or engineering degree._

Tommy passed Sarah and Jeff a copy of Conner's grade report. Jeff's eyebrows rose again and he gave a low whistle. "Well, I'll be. These _actually_ aren't that bad, Con."

_I'm pretty sure Conner threatened to break Ethan's nose when he wouldn't stop calling him that._

As Conner growled and Sarah sighed, Jeff leaned over to Tommy, saying, "Conner's never been gifted in the mental department, if you get what I mean. These are a pretty big achievement for him."

Jeff's tone made it clear what he though about Conner's big achievement. Conner scowled and snapped, "Oh, for the love of… Just come out and say it, Jeff – you think I'm stupid!"

Jeff sneered, "Hey, you said it, not me, kid. But if the shoe fits…"

_Did you just call my Red stupid?_

"Conner is what we'd call a kinesthetic learner," Tommy replied mildly, interrupting the brewing storm, "He is _not_ stupid."

Jeff sat back with an ugly look on his face as Sarah leaned forward. "Kinesthetic learner… I've heard that phrase thrown around. What does it mean, exactly?"

Tommy glanced over to Conner, who was slouched over in his seat and scowling at the desk.

"Kinesthetic learners learn through movement and action. They make up a very small percent of the population – smallest out of the learning styles, in fact. Let me put it in perspective for you. Conner's best grades are in Sign Language – he's leading the class. Conner, stop trying to blow up the desk with your mind and answer this: why is ASL easy for you?"

Conner flushed and muttered, "I guess… I just remember it easier. I mean, it's like remembering soccer plays… I just… do it and remember."

Tommy smiled and nodded. Turning back to Conner's mother and uncle, he continued, "Conner also does well in our hands-on activities and labs. They're application oriented, and Conner's usually among the first to understand and complete them successfully."

"He's still only managing a C+," Jeff pointed out sourly, "He's no genius."

Sarah and Tommy sighed simultaneously, wondering why the man was so intent on believing the worst of Conner.

"His writing could use improvement," Tommy admitted, "As could his test scores."

Conner rolled his eyes at Jeff's smug grin, replying, "Sorry, Doc, I'm not a scientist. I just want to get into college."

Tommy nodded, opening a green folder. "I'm also Conner's college advisor, which means I help him with his applications and scholarships. Are you aware of Conner's college plans?"

Sarah nodded as Jeff looked disinterested. "He's applying to UCLA, CSU Northridge, and San Diego State University, most likely majoring in Business Administration."

Tommy realized that he, Sarah, and Jeff were probably the only ones who knew of Conner's dream to start a soccer camp for underprivileged children. For someone who came across as an airheaded, self-absorbed jock, Conner had some surprisingly humanitarian dreams.

Jeff muttered, "Well, at least _one_ of them is going to college. The other one's probably a hobo who-knows-"

Conner snarled and leaped to attack Jeff as his annoyance and irritation ignited into pure, unadulterated _fury_. In a flash, he had the older man pinned against the chalkboard.

"Jeff! Conner!" Sarah cried out.

"Don't you _dare_ talk about Eric that way!"

"Conner, let him go," Sarah pleaded.

Conner simply growled and pressed his forearm against his uncle's throat harder. Tommy's eyes widened as he felt the Power of the Tyrannosaurus roiling within the teen.

_He's calling on the Power? He's that angry?_

Tommy stepped up to Conner, one hand gripping the back of the teen's shirt and the other resting on his forearm. "Conner. That's enough."

Conner's angry gaze slid over to him. Violent rage met determined calm, and the student strained against the mentor in a lightning-fast battle of wills.

Seeing that he had the teen's attention, Tommy continued steadily, "You're better than this, Conner. Let him go."

Conner stared mutinously, but his posture relaxed. Tommy immediately took the opportunity to pull Conner away from his now irate uncle.

"Why you…" Jeff snarled and started to raise a hand, only to be stopped by his sister.

"Jeff. Leave."

"Wha – Sarah!"

Sarah's face was pale and strained as she replied, "Jeff. _Leave._"

"Conner, stand down," Tommy murmured to the teen, who was poised to attack again, "And that was _not_ a request."

_Come on, Conner. Using your Ranger powers on a civilian? I've taught you better than that._

"We're talking about this at home," Jeff ground out before storming out of the room.

After he left, Sarah turned to her son. Her gaze was weary and laden with a lecture on appropriate behavior and disappointment that only mothers seemed to be able to pull off. A few seconds later, the fight drained out of Conner and he stared at the floor.

"Sorry, Mom," he mumbled, not looking up.

Tommy tugged on Conner's shirt lightly, making him look up. Sarah still kept the same look trained on her son. Conner swallowed.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Conner repeated, this time maintaining eye contact with his mother to show his sincerity.

Sarah sighed, shaking her head. "Conner… Never mind, we'll talk more at home. Was there anything else, Dr. Oliver?"

Tommy shook his head. "No, just make sure you get your essays in soon, Conner."

Conner nodded.

"Conner, go wait outside, please. I'd like to talk to your teacher in private," Sarah said.

Conner looked between his teacher and mother, before nodding slowly and leaving. Sarah stared after him for a few moments, before turning to Tommy with a small smile on her face.

"He really looks up to you, you know," she said softly, "He won't admit it, though. I doubt he even realizes it… Thank you, Dr. Oliver."

_Er, what?_

Tommy blinked. "Ah, you're welcome… what exactly for, though?"

Sarah's smile dimmed a little and she explained, "When Conner's twin brother, Eric, left for Blue Bay Harbor… it nearly destroyed Conner. He was so lost without him… His schoolwork suffered, his attitude changed, he became someone I barely recognized. But these past few months… Ever since he became a part of your class, I can see my son returning. Conner has that light in his eyes again; he has something to fight for again. So thank you. Thank you so much for bringing my son back to life!"

Tommy found himself at a loss for words in the face of such a powerful declaration.

_I…_

Sarah smiled again. "Have a good day, Dr. Oliver. Thank you for your time."

Tommy was still speechless after she left.

* * *

Tommy resisted the urge to rub his temples, mentally counting down the minutes until he could leave.

_Except that once I get done listening to Mr. Miller rant at me for turning his daughter into a heathen, I get to go back and explain interplanetary politics to three teenagers and figure out how to keep the Earth from getting screwed over by a misguided diplomat's sense of justice. Today is just not my day._

"Daddy, please," Allison Miller cut into her father's rant, "Dr. Oliver has not 'turned into a heathen.' My faith in Jesus is as strong as it has ever been, if not stronger. Just because I want to study at the Colorado School of Mines instead of attending the Moody Bible Institute does not mean I am renouncing my faith."

"But Ali-bear, I thought we decided you would attend Moody for Women's Ministries…"

"I said I would consider it, Daddy," Allison replied patiently, "And Dr. Oliver has my application for Moody along with my application for the Colorado School of Mines."

"If I may, Mr. Miller," Tommy added carefully, ignoring the voice in the back of his head telling him to shut up, "Science and Christianity are not mutually exclusive. While I myself am not a believer, I have friends who are – friends who are paleontologists, geologists, and archeologists, I might add."

"Dr. Oliver's right, Daddy," Allison continued earnestly, "Come on, archeologists are constantly digging up artifacts that support, not refute the Bible. Science is just man's way of explaining God's creation!"

Mr. Miller looked taken aback at his daughter's fervor, but Tommy caught the glint of pride in his eyes. Seeing a child defend her faith, not because her parents told her to, but of her own free will, because it was _her_ faith – that was a beautiful thing.

_Somehow, suffering through Mr. Miller's heckling doesn't seem so bad if it leads to something like this._

The golden moment was broken, though, as Mr. Miller turned to Tommy, looking like he was about to resume his tirade.

"This isn't over, Oliver! I'm keeping an eye on you, and if I hear about you feeding my daughter anyone of this evolution nonsense, you'll be hearing from me!"

_I'm sure I will._

"I understand, Mr. Miller. However, if you'll look at the syllabus I gave you, Darwin's Theory of Evolution is not a topic I plan on covering."

_Evolution is real. It happens every day. Whether or not you believe humans evolved from apes, well, that's another matter entirely. Why don't I think Mr. Miller understands this distinction?_

Mr. Miller huffed, still suspicious. Allison shook her head in a mixture of fondness and exasperation.

"Daddy, I want to study Geology, we've talked about this. CSM has one of the best programs for Geology and Geological Engineering in the country."

"But…" Mr. Miller trailed off as his daughter hit him with industrial-grade puppy dog eyes.

_Whoa. I don't think even Alyssa's that good! I'm really glad she holds herself to such high moral standards, because I'm not entirely sure I'd be able to resist if she turned those on me for anything._

"We'll continue this discussion at home," Mr. Miller said finally.

_Now, how many times have I heard that line today?_

"Of course, Daddy," Allison replied demurely, "Is that all, Dr. Oliver?"

Tommy's gaze flicked to the clock at the back of the room. He nodded, gathering up the papers on his desk.

"Yeah. Just get me that scholarship application as soon you can, alright?"

Allison nodded and stood as her father continued glaring at Tommy.

Barely two seconds after the pair left, Tommy's head met his desk with a soft 'thunk'.

_It's over. It's finally over. Please tell me I never have to do that again._

"Sleeping on the job, Dr. Oliver?" a sharp voice asked.

Tommy jerked upright immediately to meet the gaze of his superior. Principal Randall stood at the door, dressed in a crisp grey suit with a blue blouse, looking completely unimpressed.

"Principal Randall! Good afternoon. And no, I wasn't sleeping. My last conference ended just before you got here."

Randall arched an eyebrow. "The man whom I passed ranting to his daughter about heathens and brainwashing?"

Tommy cringed slightly, replying ruefully. "That'd be the one. Mr. Miller is… not too fond of me or my teaching. How was your day?"

_Wait, why am I prolonging this conversation? Knowing the Rangers, they're already in my basement fretting and waiting for me. Curse Angel Grove for instilling good manners in me so deeply._

"Irritating," Randall replied flatly, "I don't appreciate being told how to do my job, and I appreciate the bureaucracy the prevents me from making that sentiment clear even less."

_Welcome to the club._

Tommy inclined his head. "I feel your pain, trust me. But, at least we only have to do this twice a year."

Randall gave a wry smirk. "That's twice too many, but I suppose you're right."

She sighed. "The only thing even remotely worth remembering about this day is the alien message in the middle of lunch."

Tommy's skin prickled at the odd look Principal Randall sent his way. Swallowing, he replied, "Well, I can only hope the Power Rangers can set him straight. They're protectors, not villains."

Randall tilted her head her gaze on Tommy intensifying. "What if he's right, though? The monsters and the Rangers surfaced at the same time; how do we know the Rangers weren't the cause of it all?"

Tommy hoped he wasn't blanching as obviously as he thought he was. She couldn't know. There was no way Principal Randall could know that he was the Black Ranger, let alone that he had been one of the scientists who had worked on the Tyrannodrones. He was just being paranoid.

"Then let's hope they clean up their mess without putting the city in further danger," Tommy replied steadily.

Randall gave him a considering look, before stepping back with a small smile. Turning to leave, she tossed over her shoulder, "Enjoy your freedom from the brats, Dr. Oliver."

Tommy shook his head, amused and exasperated. "I'll see you on Monday, Principal Randall.".

_And now, to teach three teenagers alien diplomacy while they're cranky and panicking. Someone, please shoot me now.

* * *

_A/N: And that brings us to the end of the first half. A good place to stop a chapter, at twenty-eight pages. Poor Tommy, it's like the Parent-Teacher Conference Day from Hell.

Some things I should address:

College/ACT/SAT - I did warn you earlier that college and college applications would be present in my story, because they are highly prevalent in a senior's life, especially during first semester. All the colleges listed are real colleges, some of which even I looked at when deciding where to apply.

Dinosaur genera - I'm sure most of you just skimmed over this phrase when reading, but I'd like to explain my reasoning behind it a bit. Being a paleontologist, Tommy has plenty of details about dinosaurs floating around in his head, so why didn't I just make him review the names of every dinosaur he knew? Because, first of all, the classification/naming system for that is still being disputed, and second, it's like asking someone to catalog every color they know. Is emerald different from green different from veridian? Genera (plural for genus), on the other hand, are a finite number, and easier to keep track of based on family (though there's some debate over that classification system as well) and characteristics. There, that was your science lesson for the day.

Trent/Cuba - In this fic, Trent comes from Cuba, a powder keg in the Caribbean with no diplomatic ties to the United States. Expect issues to crop up.

Smirnoff - Yes, this is a real brand of vodka. No, I do not have any idea what it tastes like. I do not drink alcohol.

Learning styles - Everything I wrote about kinesthetic learners has been supported by extensive research and studies. They are part of one classification system, along with auditory and visual/spatial learners. There is a more detailed and refined version of this system with six or seven different types of learning styles, as well as other systems, but I doubt anyone wants to read me go on about multiple intelligences or Myers-Briggs codes and Kiersey temperaments. Believe me, I can go on for quite a while.

OCs - Almost all the OCs introduced in this chapter will return at a later date. These are the people Tommy and the Rangers come in contact with every day, and in many cases, have been around for most of their lives. People like Sarah McKnight and Jeff Gregory, for example, being Conner's family will come up pretty often. Mind, I didn't mean to make Jeff as much of a jerk as he was. I was aiming for misguidedly obnoxious, like Mr. Miller, which actually brings me to my last point...

Science vs. Christianity - Science exists. Christianity exists. People in the real world are faced with both every day. My own views are that of Allison Miller's and I have met people who agree with me, people who think I'm a hypocrite or a heathen, people who think I'm an idiot for believing in an unseen God over 'scientific fact', and people who think I'm believing in the wrong deity. I will not say which side is right, that's for you to decide, but I will present every side of the argument, no matter how uncomfortable it may make anyone. If anyone's going to yell at me for bringing religion into the fic, go ahead. I'll just repeat myself: it exists in the real world, so it's going to exist in my fic.

Now that I'm done ranting/explaining, please, let me know what you think!


	12. Interlude: Alien Diplomacy

A/N: Gasp, is this an update I see? Yes, yes it is. Life has been so crazy, it's not even funny, but I have indeed managed to finish another chapter for you all.

A massive thank you to everyone who's been reading/reviewing/alerting/favoriting this story! I'm truly grateful for your support! Miranda, thanks for your review, I really enjoyed reading it! I'm glad you're enjoying the fic, and yes, Tommy's backstory is going to be very slowly revealed throughout the entire story. I think Eric McKnight was originally created just to explain James Napier's presence at the end of Ninja Storm, but it does give us fanfic writers lots of fun stuff to work with! Hope you enjoy this nice long chapter, too! Helena, thanks, and I'm glad you're enjoying the fic. As you can see, I fully intend on continuing. Hope you enjoy! Guest, thanks, and I hope you enjoy Chapter 12!

Further, this chapter is dedicated to **PinkRangerV**, as a surprise early birthday present (because with my updating speed, I probably won't be able to post anything else by her birthday). She is a fantastic person and a great writer and you should all go check out her stuff when you're done with this chapter. :)

Disclaimer: Power Rangers is owned by Saban. I'm flat broke.

That being said, please, read and enjoy!

* * *

As Tommy expected, Conner, Kira, and Ethan were already waiting expectantly in his basement. Ethan was sitting at his computer, scrolling through some documents.

_Those look suspiciously like classified documents._

"What are you looking through, Ethan?"

Ethan spun around quickly, surprised.

_What? You seriously didn't notice me entering? We need to work on your situational awareness, kid._

"Hey, Dr. O! Hayley sent over some documents that she said would help. I'm not really sure I understand them, though."

Tommy scanned the files as Conner and Kira came up behind him.

_Hayley, why must you make my job harder than it needs to be?_

"These are classified documents, Ethan."

Ethan's expression lit up. "Really? Cool!"

Tommy sighed. "No, not cool, Ethan. I'm legally bound to report when each file is accessed, who accessed it, where, why, and if the reason's don't align with the ICISI's guidelines – it's a legal nightmare."

"The what now?" Conner asked.

"But we're the Power Rangers," Ethan protested.

"That does not put us above the law, Ethan," Tommy replied as he took his seat, "And the ICISI is the Intergalactic Council of Information Security and Infrastructure. They keep track of information passed between levels of security… Okay, backtracking –

In the known Universe, there is one primary coalition of worlds. Within that there are five levels. Level I: Uncivilized worlds that support life. Level II: Civilized worlds that are unaware of alien life or do not allow contact. Level III: Civilized worlds that allow contact. Level IV: Civilized worlds that allow contact and trade. Level V: Civilized worlds that allow contact, trade, and settlement."

Tommy typed on his keyboard, brining up a colorful map.

"These are the classifications for the Local Cluster. This is Earth right here – Level II. Now, sentient beings also have classifications on a similar system. Usually they bear the same level as their home planets, with similar rights. Rangers are generally Level III, unless their home planet has a higher classification, or the threat they are called to fight is purely indigent, like Mesogog. However, since Thorven publicly confronted you, you three now have Level III status, which allows you to contact aliens and conduct negotiations. Level IV would allow you to work or trade off-world, and visit for limited period of time, and Level V would allow you to live off-world for an unlimited period of time, and set up your own business there."

"What level are you?" Kira asked.

"Level IV. There are nuances to both systems, of course, but I'm not going to go into them yet. Now, Thorven comes from Horath, which used to be Level V, but has been Level II for the past seven years, after the Machine Empire, well, raped, pillaged, and terrorized the planet. There's been a lot of political turmoil on Horath ever since they were deposed, with various groups trying to restore a leadership structure…"

Tommy trailed off. Horath had been in shambles in the wake of the Machine Empire's tyranny, one that he had helped and empowered. After they were destroyed, Horath never regained stability, and was now as volatile as the Middle East was on Earth.

"So, this Emissary guy…" Ethan prompted.

Tommy snapped back to reality. "Right. Thorven's Emissary status gives him diplomatic immunity, which means the same for any interactions Earth has with outside planets as it does for any countries interacting within Earth – our laws can't touch him. If we attack him, we'd be inviting a lot of trouble for the Earth."

"Trouble like what?" Conner asked.

"Military retaliation, sanctions – which will have a bigger effect than you think – possible invasions… Earth is in a very precarious position right now, since we've started pushing for Level IV reclassification, possibly Level V."

_Sanctions now would mean very bad news for the scientists working on SPD and the morphers and hinder a lot of plans for the future of the Earth._

"We?"

"Wait, when was this decided?"

Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose. "'We' meaning some former Rangers and Ranger-affiliated government officials. And this was first proposed about a decade ago. Could we please get back to the topic of the delegate from a politically unstable planet with murderous intent towards us?"

Conner scowled, and Ethan reared back as Kira crossed her arms, unfazed. "You hold all the cards, Dr. O. We don't know anything about this kind of stuff – we're just high schoolers."

_So was I when I started this._

Tommy exhaled slowly, wrestling his temper and frayed nerves under control. He remembered how stressful and, frankly, terrifying it had been when he was a teenager.

"I realize that, and I'm sorry for snapping. I remember how stressful it was when I was in your position."

Conner gave a soft, derisive snort. Tommy resisted the urge to narrow his eyes. He had to pick his battles wisely.

Tommy changed, pointing to a section shaded over. "This is the Huan Void. It's named that way because its connection to the Morphing Grid is warped and scarred by residual Black Magic from a war eons ago. All the Rangers born in the Huan Void are either Evil or Mercenary.

"Evil Rangers are, as their name implies, servants of evil. They are utterly devoted to their masters and seek only to spread oppression and tyranny. Mercenary Rangers tend to serve evil, but in reality, only fight for the highest bidder. They usually have a core set of personal values, like not harming women and children. Other than that, they'll fit for whoever offers them the most money, power, or whatever they're after, and switch sides very easily. Earth has known seven Evil – ex-Evil, now – Rangers, and one Mercenary – now former Mercenary – Ranger."

"Seven?" Ethan repeated incredulously.

Kira's brow furrowed as she dredged up the memory of the Ranger history video they'd watched over three weeks ago.

"Why?" Conner asked.

Ethan and Kira turned to Conner, confused.

"Why what?" Ethan returned.

Conner rubbed the back of his neck. "Why does the Earth have so many Evil and Mercenary Rangers? The Power Rangers have only been on Earth for about eleven years. That's about one every year – every generation."

_Good point, kid. However, I don't think you want the full theory behind that._

Ethan and Kira stared at Conner.

"Wow…" Kira murmured, "That was actually a pretty smart question."

Conner threw up his hands violently. "Why is everyone surprised when I say anything even remotely intelligent? _I. Am. Not. STUPID!"_

"Maybe its because you rarely _do say anything smart," Kira sniped back, refusing to be cowed in the face of Conner's wrath._

"Conner! Kira! That's enough," Tommy snapped, "Kira, stop sniping. Conner, get your temper under control."

_Teenagers. Why couldn't you have grown up in each other's back pockets like my original team?_

"You two have exactly three minutes to get your death glares out of your systems," Tommy said, "And I hope you can multitask because I'm not going to repeat myself. Earth's Morphing Grid is unique and very volatile, which is why it is the focus of so many villains and so often warped to produce Evil or Mercenary Rangers.

"Now, because Horath is so close to the Void, 90 percent of its interaction with Rangers is negative, so if we want to get Thorven to listen to us and back off, we need to counter his first instinct that we're evil by being as non-threatening as possible."

"So sending Conner and Kira in is out of the question?" Ethan ventured, cringing as his two teammates turned to him.

Tommy lips twitched. "We have until sunset to get that sorted out."

Conner turned to Tommy. "Wait, you wouldn't really bench us, right?"

_Would you listen to me if I did?_

Tommy's eyebrows rose. "With the way today's going? Frankly, the idea looks more and more tempting."

"Conferences not go well for you either?" Kira asked dryly.

Tommy shook his head. "If any of you ever decide to teach, I'm warning you in advance that dealing with the parents will be the part you hate the most, even more than the paperwork. I've been told how to do my job, kept a parent from attacking a student, kept a student from attacking his uncle, been hit on by a student's mother, and been yelled at for trying convert another student into a, and I quote, 'heathen.' Clearly, Mr. Miller never did well in science class."

"Wait, wait, wait," Ethan cut in, "You're talking about Allison Miller?"

Tommy replied, "You didn't hear it from me."

The three teens exchanged glances, before bursting into laughter.

_I'm glad you find this so amusing. No, really, I am. No sarcasm here._

"Dude," Conner gasped out, "Allie Miller is the most incorruptible person at Reefside High, maybe even the _city!"_

"Exactly," Ethan added, "I've known her since the fourth grade. She's, like, a paragon of virtue. Seriously."

Kira snickered. "Sorry, Dr. O. It's just, you being accused of converting quite possibly the only person in the school who _can't be converted is too hilarious!"_

_I think the fact that Allie is so strong in her faith is the only reason her father isn't actively trying to get me fired._

"But seriously, can I count on you two to keep it together out on the field? Diplomacy is a very delicate matter, if you guys can't handle it, I can call in someone more qualified."

_Like the man whose career is specifically designed for situations like these. Where is Jason, anyway?_

Conner shook his head. "No. We can handle it. We're Power Rangers, right? We face tough challenges and we overcome them – that's what we do."

Ethan and Kira nodded in affirmation.

Tommy's lips twitched into a small smile. They were so proud, so eager, so ready to defend their planet. They'd be fine.

"Alright. I'm assuming that Thorven carries a translator on him, so we don't need to worry about the language barrier – what is it, Ethan?"

"Uh, translator? Language barrier? I thought he was speaking English."

Tommy shook his head. "Emissaries carry a device best called a translator. It picks up on the brainwaves of everyone surrounding the user, and then alters whatever the user says into the most common language. If you listen really carefully when Thorven speaks, you can hear his real voice, like an echo."

"That's awesome," Ethan murmured in awe, "I totally need one of those."

Tommy's lips twitched. "If we make it through to the night alive and without sparking an interplanetary war, I'll see what I can do to get you one."

Ethan beamed and Conner rolled his eyes, muttering affectionately, "Geek."

"Jock," Ethan replied easily.

"Boys," Kira said dismissively, "Focus."

"Right," Conner said, switching his attention back to the topic, "So what do we do? Just go talk to him?"

Tommy nodded. "We have to convince him that we're no threat, and that means no fighting."

"And we can't approach him because we could be seen as aggressors, right?" Ethan added. At Conner and Kira's looks, he explained, "It was in the stuff Hayley sent."

Tommy looked back at the document Ethan was referencing. "Diplomatic Ranger – Non-Ranger Interactions? Ugh, I hated reading that. I'm surprised you managed to make any sense of it already. I had to have a friend who was trained in this to help me."

_Seriously, if it wasn't for Trey, I'd have probably screwed up and put the Earth in twice as much danger as it was._

Ethan flashed his mentor a quick smile. "Does this mean you'll let me finish reading it?"

"We'll see. What else did you get from it?"

Ethan's brow furrowed. "Not much, but it seems like Conner has to be the one doing the talking."

"He does."

"I _what?"_

"Great," Kira groaned, "We're doomed."

Conner flashed Kira an irritated glance. "Hey, you've never had to make Nico Rodriguez and Richard Showalter work together after Dick cheated on Nico's sister, so back off. Dr. O, shouldn't you be the one doing this, though? You have more experience."

Tommy shook his head. "Rank over experience. As the current active Red Ranger, you're the face of the Power Rangers of Earth to everyone else, and Thorven will direct his actions towards you."

"Great," Conner muttered, starting to look overwhelmed.

Tommy stood up, clasping Conner's shoulder gently. "Conner. You'll do fine. I have faith in you."

The corner of the teen's mouth twitched upward.

"Why don't the three of you get a hold of Hayley and see how she's doing. Ask her how long it would take to set up an internal com-link between the four of us when we're morphed. I have a few phone calls to make."

As the teens turned to the computer, Tommy stepped away and pulled out his phone. Well, it was _a phone, _though not exactly one used on Earth. He scrolled through his contacts and selected one, holding the device up to his ear.

"Kalik. Dovash th'yo?" [Are you busy?]

There was a crackle across the line before a cheery male voice came on, saying, [Tommy! Good morning! Or afternoon, it is afternoon on Earth where you are, right? And no, I'm not busy. Do I need to be?]

[No, I just need you to find some information for me. Emissary Thorven from Horath.]

[Say no more, my friend. Just sit back and let me work my magic.]

Tommy smirked. [Try to remember that you're a legitimate businessman now, Kalik.]

[There must be a bad connection, Tommy; I have no idea what you said in the last few seconds.]

[I'm sure, Kalik. Do you have anything?]

[Emissary Thorven of the Eastern Kaverra Valley of Horath. Attained his position two years ago with the fall of so-and-so and the rise of such-and-such… Oh, would you look at that, a personal schedule. Tch, what a lucky happening! Thorven is due for a meeting with a tribal leader from Western Kaverra in an hour… Ish? If I'm translating the time zones rightly.]

_So that's why Jason's not on top of this already. He didn't know._

Tommy's smirk widened. [Well, that changes things. My thanks, Kalik.]

[Do I get to know _why _you needed this information?]

[I think there's a bad connection, Kalik. Whatever you just said was covered by static,] Tommy mocked.

He could practically _hear _the other man pout. [You're mean, Tommy. So mean!]

Tommy chuckled. [I'll talk to you later, my friend.]

[Of course, of course. Be well, Tommy.]

[You too.]

Tommy ended the call and turned back to the teens.

"Good news and bad news, Tommy," Hayley said as Tommy approached, "I triangulated the signal to Skalny Grove at the other side of town. However, the com link you want would take anywhere from a week to a month to set up, if I even have the supplies."

_Of course, life can't be too easy._

Tommy inclined his head. "Fair enough. Can you get in touch with Jason? Thorven's not here on official business. Officially, he's supposed to be meeting with a tribal chief back on Horath."

Conner's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "So is that good news or bad news?"

"Good news. It makes things a lot easier for us. We can go armed, we can go on our own terms – the only thing we can't do is initiate a battle with him, or injure him significantly."

Conner clapped his hands and stood up. "Great. So let's go, prove we're not evil, and send him home."

_You make it sound so easy._

"You make it sound so easy," Kira remarked, unknowingly echoing her teacher's thoughts.

Conner flashed her a quick grin. "Ready?"

"DinoThunder! Power up!"

* * *

They found Thorven at the other end of Reefside, just as Hayley had predicted.

Unfortunately, they found Mesogog, Elsa, and Zeltrax there as well.

_Well, today can't get any – no! Not jinxing myself!_

"Be careful, Red," Tommy murmured, "Mesogog's here."

Conner nodded and called out, "Thorven! We need to talk!"

Thorven, who could best be described as a purple dwarf with dark green tennis balls for eyes and white dreadlocks, turned and glared at them. Mesogog leaned over and whispered in his ear, causing the alien to narrow his eyes dangerously at the Rangers.

_Oh, that doesn't look good._

"Rangers," the alien hissed, spitting the word out like a foul taste, "Mesogog is right, you have no honor. You would attack me preemptively?"

Conner held up his hands. "Hey, we're just here to talk. And besides, you're the one who's not even supposed to be on the planet right now."

Thorven's dreadlocks shot out in all directions as he hissed again.

_Well then. So they're not dreadlocks, but tentacles. Good to know._

"How do you know that?" the alien demanded.

Tommy could feel the smugness radiating off Conner as he replied, "I have my sources. So why don't you come down here and we'll talk about whatever issues you have with us."

"Lies! Mesogog warned me that you would try to trick me!"

Suddenly, Elsa jerked back with a loud cry. "Agh! I've been hit!"

Tommy glanced quickly at the teens; all their weapons were stowed. Elsa was lying.

Conner had the same idea, as he cried out. "She's lying! Look at us, all our weapons are stowed!"

"And how do I know you don't have a shooter hidden in the trees, Red Ranger? You and your team have already proven yourselves to be treacherous fiends!"

_Wait, what? See, this is why I'm not a diplomat. Jason could probably figure a way out of this. I just want to shoot them all and go home._

Tommy spotted a glint of silver and ordered, "Scatter!"

His warning came just in time as Thorven pulled out a laser pistol and started firing at them.

_Oh, you've got to be kidding me…_

"Well, that went well," Kira remarked as they regrouped deeper in the woods.

"We can't hurt him, can we?" Conner asked.

"No, we cannot," Tommy replied ruefully.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Ethan wondered.

"We need to get Mesogog, Zeltrax, and Elsa out of the picture," Tommy replied, "I wouldn't put it past Mesogog to use his mental torture on Thorven."

"Somehow, I don't think Thorven's going to let us do that easily," Kira groused.

"There's four of us and four of them," Conner said, and Tommy could imagine his mind working through strategies furiously, "Yellow, Blue, take care of Zeltrax and Elsa. I'll take Thorven-"

"Which leaves Mesogog for me," Tommy finished with a nod, "Be careful. Thorven's using assassin's weapons. One hit, you demorph; two hits, you die."

The Red Ranger nodded and the team dispersed back to battle. Conner moved towards Thorven headfirst, and Ethan, Kira, and Tommy charged towards their opponents from the back.

Mesogog caught Tommy's Brachio Staff in his claws as Tommy slashed downward.

"You're going to have to do better than that, Dr. Oliver," the mutated dinosaur sneered.

Tommy wrenched his weapon free and leaped back, his mind racing. The last time he'd fought Mesogog one-on-one, it had felt like he was fighting against himself. He was almost completely certain that Mesogog had pulled his own fighting styles from his mind.

"Oh, believe me, I can," Tommy shot back, digging into his mind to dig up all the training he'd had with staves.

Suddenly, Tommy's head exploded in pain and the world disappeared in a deafening roar. He flew back from Mesogog, barely registering the villain flaying back as well before he collided painfully with the ground.

_What… the… Brachio…?_

Tommy forced himself up with a groan, his head pounding painfully and the BrachioZord's roaring continued at a slightly lower volume. Around him, Ethan and Kira were fighting fiercely against Elsa and Zeltrax, tag-teaming them as Conner struggled to get through to Thorven.

Conner ducked as Thorven fired at him, narrowly avoiding getting hit. Unfortunately, that opened up a clear path to Kira. The Yellow Ranger cried out in surprise, as she was forcefully demorphed.

"Kira!" three concerned voices rang out.

Conner leaped at Thorven as Tommy dashed across the field to their fallen teammate. Ethan bolted into action, kicking his leg out against Zeltrax's gut and plunging his fist into Elsa's solar plexus.

_Nicely done, Blue. Conner, get back here!_

Tommy helped Kira stand as Ethan started back towards them, barely managed to catch Conner and steady him as he reeled back from Thorven's counterattack.

_Good. Conner's still remembering to hold back._

Elsa and Zeltrax groaned and picked themselves up, dragging themselves over to their fallen master.

"Master!" Elsa cried out in shock, "Wake up!"

Thorven glanced around the battlefield, taking in the Blue Ranger supporting the Red Ranger, the Black Ranger holding up the human that used to be the Yellow Ranger, and Zeltrax and Elsa attempting to rouse Mesogog.

"Retreat," Mesogog rasped out.

"But my Lord!" Zeltrax protested.

Mesogog snarled threateningly, and Zeltrax quieted. He helped Elsa support the dinosaur as an Invisiportal opened up behind them.

"Cowards," Ethan and Conner muttered derisively as the three villains disappeared through the portals.

Thorven and the Rangers were left staring at each other, each side wondering who would make the next move.

"Sundown," Thorven snarled, "As Mesogog and his fellows have seen it fit to give you a reprieve, I, too shall give you one until sundown, when you shall face your doom!"

Conner tensed, and Tommy could practically _feel _his rage spike.

"Red, Blue," he called out, his voice brooking no argument, "Let's go."

They could figure this mess out back in his basement, safe and sound.

* * *

"I'm so sorry, you guys," Kira said once they were back in Tommy's house, "If I hadn't been hit-"

Conner waved her apology off. "Mesogog was already down, Kira. Dr. Oliver, you going to be alright?"

"Migraine," Tommy replied shortly, "It'll pass. You need anything, Kira?"

Kira shook her head. "No, I just need to sit down for a bit."

Tommy moved over to his medical cabinet, pulling out a bottle of aspirin and taking two. He blinked and forced himself to focus, turning back to the teens.

"Alright. We have until sundown to figure out how to approach Thorven and get him off the planet without sparking a war. Ideas?"

The teens stared back at him blankly. Tommy shook his head slightly and sat down, gesturing for the teens to do the same. Hayley's face was already flashing on his computer screen, signaling him that she was online at the Cyberspace.

"The first thing we should focus on is how to avoid getting hit by Thorven's weapons," Tommy said, "Though it would probably help more if we knew exactly _what_ he had at his disposal."

"Well, I managed to get this," Ethan said, holding out a metal grey sphere.

"What is it?" Conner asked.

Ethan shrugged. "This is going to sound really weird, but it _was_ Thorven's gun."

His three teammates stared at him. "It was!" Ethan insisted, "He had it in his hands, and then Conner tackled him after the beam hit Kira, and it fell, turned into _this,_ and rolled off into the bushes towards us."

Tommy's brow furrowed. A gun that morphed into a ball? It couldn't be…

"Does it have any markings?"

Ethan shook his head. "It's completely smooth."

Ethan passed the ball to Kira, who rolled it around in her hands. "He's right – there isn't a scratch or groove anywhere. It's like a ball bearing."

Tommy stretched out his hand. "May I see that?"

Kira handed over the ball and Tommy hissed as soon as his fingers made contact.

_It is!_

The crook of his elbow and his palm burned as something foreign flashed through his mind. The metal rippled and swiftly morphed into some kind of gun.

"Whoa! How did you do that, Dr. O?"

The gun was small, about the size of a pistol. It had a slender, rounded handle, and lean cylindrical barrel that tapered to a point.

"I don't believe it," Tommy murmured. He swiveled around in his chair, and pulled something out from under his desk.

It was an identical gun.

"This is a diamond-focus hi-frequency laser from the Regda system, a group of planets in the Andromeda galaxy, with an accuracy within 7 microns," Tommy explained, "It's a standard weapon for interplanetary emissaries with Level II clearance or higher, especially ones that are combat-ready – Everything I said just flew over your heads, didn't it?"

"Kind of, yeah," Kira replied frankly, "I got the part about Emissaries and clearances levels, which you explained before we went out…"

Tommy shook his head ruefully. "Sorry about that. The weapon I pulled out from under my desk is one used by dignitaries, their bodyguards, and anyone traveling between planets who has combat training, like off-duty Rangers. You need to apply for a permit, just like you would with a gun here in the States. The ball, on the other hand…"

Tommy focused and grinned when the weapon reverted to ball form. "This is a selig – it creates a neural interface with the user and can then transform into any weapon they know how to use."

The ball transformed into a shotgun, and then into a dagger.

"So why didn't it transform for us?" Conner wondered, "I mean, we know how to use our Ranger weapons."

Tommy shook his head. "Those are Power-protected. Ranger technology can only be manipulated or recreated by other Ranger technology – at least, here on Earth. Since none of you have formal weapons training outside of your Ranger weapons, it remained in ball form."

Tommy passed the ball back to Ethan who looked over it again, before handing it to Kira, who turned to Conner. Conner looked at it dubiously before taking it.

He hissed. "Dude, that burns!"

Tommy nearly dropped his laser when the ball in Conner's hand morphed into a semi-automatic pistol.

_Why does my Red know how to use a military-grade pistol?_

"Uh, something you'd like to tell us, Conner?" Ethan ventured, staring at the gun in Conner's hand.

Conner stared blankly at the gun in his hand.

Tommy raised his eyebrows. "Conner, where did you learn to use a M9 semi-automatic?"

Conner sighed. "My Dad… he was really big on me going into the military. He taught me to shoot when I was fourteen."

_Your father and I need to have a conversation on what is and is not appropriate to teach fourteen-year-old boys. Shooting a military sidearm falls under the 'is not' category._

"You? In the military?" Ethan demanded incredulously.

"What does he think you're going to do, knock the terrorists out by kicking soccer balls at them?" Kira added.

"Hey, I'm the one carrying a military sidearm," Conner snapped irritably.

"Whoa, chill, man," Ethan said, holding up his hands as Kira narrowed her eyes.

"Alright, we're putting the dangerous weapon away now," Tommy cut in, reaching over and taking the selig back, "And the burn was from it setting up the neural interface, Conner."

Conner sighed, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Sorry. Just… let's not talk about my Dad."

"Daddy issues," Ethan muttered, "Why am I not surprised?"

"Ethan," Tommy warned, "Let's stay focused, shall we?"

"So does this help us?" Ethan asked.

Tommy nodded. "It does. These things are obscenely expensive – I could sell my house four times over and still not even have enough to _rent _one – so their use and sale is highly regulated. You have to go through a psychological evaluation and list every weapon you know how to use and where you learned to use them before you can get a license."

Ethan brightened. "So if that information's on record…"

Tommy nodded. "With a little work, I can find it. I'm going to make some calls. While I'm doing that, I want you three to brainstorm strategy, and how to keep each other covered when fighting. And update Hayley on what's going on."

The teens nodded. "Got it, Dr. O."

Tommy stood up and moved away, dialing a familiar number on his alien phone.

[Kalik's Temple of Knowledge. How may the All-Knowing One assuage your inquisitiveness today?]

Tommy's eyebrow rose at the unfamiliar voice. [Who are you, and what does Kalik have over your head?]

Sounds of a scuffle followed, and Kalik's voice came on. [Tommy! What can I do for you?]

[Temple of Knowledge?]

[Eh heh… Interns.]

[Sure,] Tommy drawled, [Well, All-Knowing One, I need some more information on Emissary Thorven. He's got a selig-]

[And you need me to dig up his permit and send you a list of weapons he's registered for?]

[It's like you're some kind of psychic deity,] Tommy replied dryly.

[Ha. You're hilarious, my friend. When do you need it by?]

[Within an hour would be good.]

[Ooh, you slave driver!]

[Pirate.]

Kalik chuckled. [It'll be in your inbox within the hour. Anything else?]

[Everything running smoothly on Onyx?]

[Smooth as a – wait, never mind, underage ears present.]

Tommy rolled his eyes. [Take care, Kalik. And stop tormenting your interns.]

[Static, Tommy, static,] Kalik replied cheerfully.

_Thanks, Kalik. Talking to you always makes me laugh._

Tommy glanced back at the teens to see Conner gesticulating and directing Kira and Ethan to stand in different positions.

_Kid's got a good eye for positioning and how to use his teammates' talents. I imagine that's why he made Soccer Team Captain as early as sophomore year._

Tommy turned away and dialed another number.

"Jason Scott speaking."

"You're a horrible slacker, you know that?"

"… Tommy?" Jason's nonplussed voice came back, "What are you talking about?"

"Emissary Thorven of the Eastern Kaverra Valley of Horath is in Reefside threatening to kill my Rangers. Actually, I believe his exact words were that he'd 'rid the planet of our taint.'"

Jason groaned. "You're _kidding."_

"My Yellow took a hit from a Zito laser, and my Blue picked up Thorven's selig," Tommy deadpanned, "Oh yeah, I'm joking. Ha."

Jason swore. "This had to happen _now, _of all times? When I'm in_Russia?"_

_Why are you in Russia?_

"So what is Earth's relationship with Horath?"

"Technically, we don't have any, since we're both Level II. Otherwise: diplomatic in name, neutral in practice," came the weary reply, "So what all has he done?"

"Technically, Thorven's not a he, y'know? The beings of Horath actually have four genders."

_Oh, great. I'm babbling._

"That bad, huh?"

"What makes you think it's _bad?"_

Tommy could imagine Jason rolling his eyes. "You just told me Thorven's species has four genders, bro. You don't spew out useless information like that unless you're really shaken up."

_Well, let's think, Thorven like using weapons with a survival rate of one in seven hundred, Kira nearly died, I can't shoot him without sending the Earth into war, and I have a feeling Mesogog is the one who contacted him, which means he pulled a lot more out of my mind than I realized._

Tommy sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "It's been a long day, Jase. A _really _long day. Tell me I can shoot him with impunity."

"Sorry, bro, no can do," Jason replied regretfully, "He's here unofficially, so you _can _subdue him if push comes to shove, but your best bet is just talking him down. Is Mesogog involved?"

"Oh yeah. He and his lapdogs are very happily convincing Thorven that my team is evil."

"Hmm… You know, technically, Mesogog could be called an Enemy of Earth, which would make Thorven's alliance with him a violation of Horath's peace with us."

Tommy's brow furrowed as he tried to remember why they hadn't done that already. "… Doesn't that involve a ton of paperwork and red tape?"

"Like you wouldn't _believe," _Jason replied with a sigh, "The things I do for you."

_Seeing as I'm essentially doing your job for you, I think we're even._

Tommy cracked a grin. "Thanks, Jase."

"Yeah, yeah. Go talk to Thorven. Let me know if he leaves peaceably; then I won't have to do as much work."

"Will do. Later, bro."

"Later, Tommy."

Tommy rejoined the teens, tapping Conner's wrist. "Keep your wrist flat. It'll put less strain on your tendons."

The teens turned towards him expectantly.

"We should be getting information on Thorven's arsenal within the hour," Tommy reported, "So what did you guys work out?"

"We're thinking the best way to change Thorven's mind is to _show _him what we've done," Conner began.

"I've got links to a bunch of footage of us fighting that I can download," Ethan explained, "Most of it is just what's on the news; some of it's phone videos from people who didn't run the moment the Tyrannodrones showed up. And there are news articles. That should help, right?"

_This, Ethan, is why you're a Blue. Great work, kid._

Tommy smiled and nodded. "That's a great idea. I have 'permission' from Earth's Emissary – who's actually the one who's supposed to deal with situations like this – to subdue Thorven if the situation demands it."

Conner brightened. "So, we can tie him down to a chair and _make _him listen?"

"Technically, Thorven's not male," Tommy said, wondering why he was babbling again, "His species actually has four genders."

Conner and Kira's eyebrows rose as Ethan's eyes widened. "Really? Whoa, he's like a mushroom!"

_Oh yeah, I remember learning that in biology way back when…_

"What?" Ethan protested at Conner and Kira's incredulous stares, "Mushrooms have four genders! I learned it in AP Bio – wait, Thorven can see in color, right? 'Cause I know color blindness is a sex-linked gene-"

"As far as I know, Thorven can," Tommy replied, "Unless he has some innate genetic mutation."

Conner shook his head, a smirk hovering about his lips. "Only you would ask if the mushroom-alien could actually see in color, Ethan."

Ethan made a face as Tommy replied, "It's a valid question. There are species that can only see in UV light, or, even better, only reflect UV light, so we can't see them. The Phantom Ranger, whom you might have heard of when the Astro Rangers were around, was from one such species."

Ethan's eyes were wide in awe. "Dude, that's _awesome!"_

Tommy cracked a grin. "After we deal with Thorven, remind me to tell you about some of my travels off-world. I bet you'd enjoy it."

Ethan grinned even as his eyes hardened. They needed to focus. All the stories in the world weren't worth risking Reefside's safety.

* * *

Apparently, it really was too much to ask for things to go smoothly. For a moment as the Rangers faced Thorven, Zeltrax, and Elsa on the docks with the sun dropping below the horizon behind them, Tommy allowed himself to think that this would be an open-and-shut situation. Thorven remained still as Conner talked and showed him the videos of what the Rangers had done for the city.

And then Thorven start screaming obscenities, crates around them started exploding, and the Red, Yellow, and Blue Rangers ended up trapped behind a forcefield while Tommy picked himself up, his head ringing from being knocked against a wall.

"You will all die!" Thorven howled, "Wicked… Foul… creatures!"

_Okay, Thorven's officially gone from annoyingly misguided to completely unstable. And he's making my headache worse again._

Tommy ducked as Thorven lashed out at him with his staff, barely registering the BrachioZord's presence stirring in his mind.

"Watch out!" the teens cried out, hitting the forcefield with all their might.

Tommy swore, dodging more of Thorven's strikes. "_Listen _to me! We are not evil, and we don't want to fight you! Just stop for a minute, and we can talk this out!"

"I won't be taken in by your tricks!"

"I swear on Zordon of Eltar's sacrifice that I am not lying to you!" Tommy cried desperately.

Thorven faltered for a moment as he recognized the weight of the Black Ranger's oath.

"Do not listen to him!" Zeltrax howled, "He is a murderer! He killed my son!"

Tommy's blood ran cold and he faltered, allowing Thorven to knock him back into the wall with a sickening crack. He fell to the floor, unmoving.

"_NO!"_ the Yellow Ranger shrieked.

Thorven stilled, turning to the captive Ranger curiously. She was turned sideways, being held back by the Red Ranger, as the Blue Ranger slammed his fists fruitlessly against the forcefield.

Thorven tilted his head, his tentacles dancing. "Your … soul is… crying… for him?"

"He's our teacher!" Kira hissed, "Our mentor! And you had better hope he's just unconscious, or we will forget all about your Emissary status and _annihilate you!"_

Thorven's eyes widened. "You – you know what my status implies?"

"Yeah," the Red Ranger growled, "We do. The man you just tried to kill is the one who taught us. Come on, do you really think we're that weak?"

"What?" Thorven spluttered. They weren't fighting at full strength?

"Don't listen to them," Elsa cut in quickly, "They're trying to trick you again!"

"We're not lying!" Conner shouted exasperatedly, "Dr. – Our mentor asked us not to hurt you, because you have diplomatic immunity here, and he doesn't want to bring trouble to the Earth. The only reason we haven't already wiped you off the planet is because he thinks we could talk this out!"

Thorven frowned. "But, but, you're evil! Why would you even care?"

"_WE'RE NOT EVIL!"_ the Rangers yelled back angrily.

"_They _are!" the Blue Ranger shot back, gesturing at Elsa and Zeltrax,_ "They're t_he ones who've been sending out Tyrannodrones to terrorize the city!_ Not us!"_

Thorven stumbled and his tentacles flailed wildly as he pressed a hand to his forehead. "No… You're evil… Mesogog…"

"Was telling the truth!" Elsa cried out, "Listen to what Lord Mesogog said! The Power Rangers are evil!"

"Yes," Thorven agreed, seeming to regain his bearings, "That's – aaaaagh!"

Tommy had used the alien's distraction to sneak up to him and had a vice grip on his leg.

_Alright… Brachio… Do your thing…_

Tommy's head pounded as the BrachioZord's roaring tore through his mind and he pushed the Power out into Thorven.

_If the BrachioZord can protect my mind from Mesogog… The same should work for you…_

Dimly, Tommy registered someone screaming at him, telling him he was overexerting himself, but he ignored the voice and continued pushing. A large pulse of energy sent Thorven and Tommy flying away from each other, and Tommy hit the forcefield, shattering it.

_Is this what it feels like to have your brain melted?_

The Rangers crowded around Tommy as Elsa and Zeltrax ran to Thorven.

"I'm fine," Tommy grit out as Conner helped him stand.

Ethan barked a disbelieving laugh as Kira demanded, "Do you even _know _what that word means, or is it just an automatic response?"

_It's probably automatic, actually._

"Don't worry about me," Tommy replied, "Thorven's a bigger problem right now."

Across from them, Thorven groaned as he picked himself up. "What happened…?"

"The Black Ranger attacked you," Elsa was quick to reply.

Thorven's eyes widened. "He… No! You're the ones – get _away from me!"_

Thorven scrambled back out of Elsa and Zeltrax's reach and disappeared.

"Did he just _teleport?"_ Conner muttered incredulously.

"Probably," Tommy replied, "We need to find him immediately, before those two get a hold of him again."

Kira looked up. "The PteraZord knows where he is."

Conner nodded, not bothering to question why the PteraZord was there. "Then let's go, while Elsa and Zeltrax are still distracted."

Kira led the way to an alley and said, "Thorven's back at Skalny Grove. I think that's where his ship is."

"That's within our teleportation range," Conner replied, "We should get over there before Elsa and Zeltrax find out."

"Uh, might be a little late for that," Ethan reported gesturing to the side.

Elsa and Zeltrax had just disappeared through an Invisiportal.

Conner cursed. "Let's go."

* * *

The Rangers found Thorven in a large clearing deep within the woods, halfway to his ship.

"Thorven!"

The alien whirled around, his staff held ready to attack. "Stay away from me, all of you! I won't hesitate to attack!"

_Yeah, we figured that much out._

"We are not the enemy," Conner insisted.

He demorphed.

_Conner! What are you doing?_

"I'm unarmed," the teen said softly, walking forward, "My name is Conner McKnight. I am eighteen years old, a student who enjoys playing soccer. I have been a Power Ranger for two and a half months."

Kira and Ethan demorphed, and walked up beside Conner.

"My name is Kira Ford. I am seventeen years old, a student and a singer. I have been a Ranger for two and a half months."

"My name is Ethan James. I am seventeen years old, a student who enjoys playing video games. I have been a Power Ranger for two and a half months."

_This is either the most brilliant or the most idiotic plan ever._

Tommy demorphed and joined his students. "My name is Tommy Oliver. I am twenty-five years old, a scientist and a teacher."

Conner took over. "We're kids. We don't have to do this. We don't have to be Power Rangers, but we took on the mantle because we're able, and because we _want _to protect our planet, our home, and our people. We're_not _evil. We're___not _going to hurt anyone."

As Conner spoke, Tommy felt the hair on the back of neck rise. He caught a flash of light at the edge of his field of vision, and bolted into action.

"Get down!"

Malignant energy flew overhead as Kira and Ethan dropped down to the ground and Conner and Tommy covered Thorven. Tommy hissed as a stray bolt hit his shoulder and burned through his shirt.

_Jason, I'm going to kill you. This. Is. Not. My. Job!_

The Rangers were up and ready to fight instantly after the attack. Elsa and Zeltrax sneered, ready to strike again.

"Th-they attacked you!" Thorven sputtered, struggling to stand up, "When you were unarmed!"

"That _is _what they do," Ethan retorted.

"Stay down, Thorven," Conner said, "We'll take care of these goons."

Conner glanced over to Tommy, more specifically his shoulder. "Dr. O…"

"I'll look after Thorven," Tommy said with a nod, "You three go take care of business."

The teens nodded, turning to Elsa, Zeltrax, and the newly arrived Tyrannodrones with vicious grins. "DinoThunder! Power up! Ha!"

"Nothing like a Tyrannodrone battle to work off stress," Tommy murmured as the three Rangers dashed off.

Thorven looked at him curiously, before commenting, "You never mentioned how long you have been a Ranger…"

Tommy's lips twitched. "Eleven years."

Thorven's eyes widened. "My… That is a long time… Did you serve under Zordon of Eltar?"

Tommy smiled softly. "Yes, I was one of his first Rangers. We went through so much together, it's hard to believe he's gone now."

Thorven bowed his head. "His sacrifice saved us all. We are forever in his debt."

Tommy inclined his head, pushing back against the memories pounding at his temples. Five years, and Zordon's death still left his heart aching. Thorven fidgeted beside him.

"What do you want to ask, Thorven?"

"The Red Zeo Ranger," Thorven blurted out, almost stopping when Tommy stiffened, "If you know him… could you… advise him to steer clear of Horath? Things are very turbulent there, so much so that some even resent my journey to Earth. Old wounds are being reopened, and with our proximity to the Huan Void…"

Tommy remembered that during his first week under the Machine Empire, he had been the one to order that all of Horath's warriors be taken and the strongest used to power his monsters, instead of just brainwashing them into serving him. He remembered the arena, and the bloody riots that had taken place outside. Even with the numerous public apologies and high-profile alien advocates like Prince Trey of Triforia, he hadn't expected the people of Horath to forgive him for getting half their population killed.

Tommy swallowed and nodded. "I'll make a note of it. I'm sure he'll be grateful for the warning."

Thorven sneered, "It's not for him that I give the warning. I simply do not want my planet in any more chaos than necessary."

Tommy winced. _Note to self: never reveal my identity as Red Zeo Ranger to Thorven._

Thorven, misreading Tommy's wince, exclaimed, "Your wound! Come, I have some salve in my ship!"

"Salve sounds good," Tommy agreed, and the pair moved back towards Thorven's ship, "Wait, mind if I try something?"

Thorven watched curiously as Tommy wrapped his hand around other's arm. Thorven tensed, but watched in fascination as Tommy focused inward, drawing on the Power and guiding it where he wanted it to go. He turned invisible, and slowly, Thorven did, too.

"Amazing!" the alien murmured in awe.

"I'm not sure how long I can hold it, but it should help us get back to your ship unnoticed. Let's go."

They made it back to Thorven's ship just as Tommy's hold on his invisibility dissipated.

"Talk about good timing," Tommy breathed, sitting down as Thorven searched his ship for burn salve.

"You probably don't need to do that," Tommy informed him, "The Power heals wounds pretty quickly. I'll be fine."

"Nonsense," Thorven replied, batting away Tommy's assurance, "It's the least I could do, after letting myself be tricked by Mesogog so easily."

Tommy shook his head. "If what I've heard is right, Horath has never had the best experiences with Rangers."

Thorven scowled briefly. "No, we haven't."

A tense, awkward silence descended between them, allowing Tommy to hear Elsa's cruel laughter and Kira's scream.

Tommy bolted to the nearest window. Kira just managed to roll out of the way as Zeltrax fired at her. The boys couldn't even glance back at her, too overwhelmed by Tyrannodrones.

_Oh you've got to be kidding me! Just once, I'd like a battle not to get worse before it gets better._

Tommy looked between Thorven and the teens, cursing. "I have to help them!"

As if in response, the selig in his pocket jolted. Tommy's eyes widened, pulling it out.

_I'm an idiot._

"Is that my selig?"

"Uh, yeah… I'm just going to borrow it for a bit."

The metal rippled and morphed into a long rifle, though not one made on Earth. If Kalik's information was correct, Thorven knew how to use the weapon as well.

"Can I get some ammunition for this?"

"Y-yes," Thorven replied in surprise, opening a cupboard and pulling out a box, "Here."

"Much appreciated," Tommy replied as he loaded the weapon.

Conner fell to the ground, cursing as a Tyrannodrone tripped him, and brought his arm up to shield himself from the incoming attack.

Except he didn't have to, as the Tyrannodrones started exploding.

"Wha…"

Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Conner spun on his heel and continued taking down Tyrannodrones with his teammates.

Back at the spaceship, Tommy smiled. _Attaboy, Conner._

"You have remarkable skill," Thorven commented, "Almost like you were trained on Daria itself!"

Daria was a mercenary outpost near the Regda system, far away from the Milky Way Galaxy. It was well known for creating firearms and their fighters were said to be the best marksmen in the known Universe – they were.

Tommy smiled slightly. "Thank you. A friend taught me, and she actually trained on Daria. She said I was a quick study."

It had been the summer after his sophomore year of college, a few months after Zordon's death. Rangers all over the universe were taking back their positions as protectors and fighting to eradicate what Zordon's goodness couldn't. He had been traveling with Andros and Karone, drawing on his experience and status as a veteran Ranger. There were no battles, not like the ones the Rangers normally fought. Tommy and Karone were more like assassins, killing evil Rangers and despots from the shadows, while Andros worked in the light in the aftermath.

Tommy remembered Karone lying a few feet away from him on a cliff overlooking an encampment of evil Rangers and their drones. Six sniper bullets for the Rangers and a bomb for the drones – they were in and out within ten minutes.

Tommy let the selig return to its natural form and massaged his shoulder. The kickback on that thing was a nightmare.

"- only trains males."

Tommy blinked and turned to Thorven. "Hmm?"

Thorven looked at Tommy with a calculating gleam in his eyes. "The Darian Warrior Guild only train males, and on occasion, non-gendered beings. You said your friend was female."

Tommy felt a prickle of unease. "The Guild trained Princess Astronema."

Thorven's eyes narrowed. "Yes… And after Zordon's death, her two closest companions were her brother, Andros, and… the Red Zeo Ranger."

Tommy swallowed. _Now I remember why we tried so hard to work in the shadows. Fame isn't always a good thing._

Before either of them could say anything, a loud explosion came from the battle site. Tommy and Thorven looked out the window to see Conner, Kira, and Ethan groaning and picking themselves up as Zeltrax and Elsa scrambled back into an Invisiportal.

"What… was _that?"_ Ethan groaned.

"Serendipity," Tommy said via their bracelets.

Conner's brow furrowed. "Isn't that the name of a chick-flick?"

Kira rolled her eyes as they walked back to the ship. "It means good luck. We could have done with some warning, though, Dr. Oliver."

"You and me both, Kira."

By the time the teens made it back to the spaceship, Tommy was standing across from Thorven, glaring.

"Double suicide? Without a carrier? Were you _trying _to get them killed?"

"An unfortunate casualty, perhaps, but if you had been a better shot, Zeltrax and Elsa would not have survived."

Conner's eyes widened. "Wait, _what?"_

It was all Tommy could do not to leap across the room and beat Thorven into a pulp.

Conner cast his teacher a wary glance, saying, "Can someone explain what just happened here?"

Tommy clenched his fists, then unclenched them and forced himself to calm down. He picked up the selig and pointed to it when it morphed back into the rifle. "This is a type of long-range rifle used outside the Milky Way Galaxy."

Tommy then pointed to a small box of bullets. "Those are the bullets Thorven gave me to use with the rifle. They're called double suicide bullets, and they're not actually supposed to be left unmarked like normal bullets. Someone clearly ignored _that_ rule."

Thorven sneered. "I don't answer to you for how I keep my weapons, _Ranger."_

Tommy snorted. "No, but you certainly answer to me when you try to kill my teammates!"

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Why are they called 'double suicide?'"

Tommy glared at Thorven again, before replying, "They're kind of like mini-grenades. When they're first shot, they explode upon contact with the target. Then the bullet fragments will explode again, causing even more damage. They're usually used for large-scale attacks, nothing this compact. If I _weren't _such a good shot, the entire forest would be up in flames and we'd all be dead by now."

Conner's brow furrowed and he turned back to Thorven. "And you tricked him into using these? Why?"

Tommy scowled. "To get revenge on Elsa and Zeltrax, why else? My guess is that he's too afraid to take them on himself since Mesogog mind-raped him when he first got here to convince him we were evil. Am I right?"

Thorven's tentacles started flailing defensively as he realized he was facing off a team of four angry Power Rangers, at least one of whom was trained as an elite mercenary.

Conner huffed in exasperation. "Seriously, dude? Get your own revenge. We have enough problems to deal with."

Thorven sneered.

Conner stepped forward angrily in response.

_I'd say it's about time to wrap this up._

"Go back to Horath," Tommy cut in, "And leave Earth well alone. It'll save us all plenty of legal trouble."

Thorven looked slightly insulted at being spoken to so curtly, but he nodded stiffly. "Very well."

Taking that as their cue to leave, the teens moved to the exit.

"Goodbye," Kira muttered, " Hope we _don't _see you again."

"I hear that," Ethan agreed lowly.

Tommy shook his head at their antics, despite how much he agreed with them. Just at the threshold, he stopped and turned back. [Oh, and a final word, Thorven: I brought your planet to its _knees _when I was_brainwashed _and held___captive. _What do you think I could have done to you out of_____vengeance _with the_______full _scope of my powers under my control?]

He left the ship without looking back at the stunned alien.

* * *

"Man, what a day," Ethan said as the four Rangers watched Thorven's ship disappear into the night sky, "Parent-Teacher Conferences, Elsa, Zeltrax, Mesogog, aliens…"

Conner ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Yeah, no kidding. It feels like today's gone on forever."

"But hey," Kira piped in, "Conner managed not to spark an interplanetary war!"

Conner threw her a mock scowl as Tommy clapped his shoulder and said warmly, "You did great today, Conner. All of you did."

The teens grinned and beamed at him.

"Come on, let's get back to the lab. I need you guys to sign some paperwork, and then you can go enjoy your Fall Break."

"Yeah!" Ethan cheered, "Five days of sweet freedom!"

"You still have training on Saturday," Tommy reminded him amusedly.

"Aw, man…"

* * *

Tommy sighed and leaned back in his chair, massaging his neck. The teens had signed and dated all the appropriate forms, Tommy had filled in the rest and submitted them, then updated both Jason and Kalik, and was finally done with the aftermath of Thorven's visit to Earth.

And then the back entrance to his lab opened and Hayley walked in angrily.

_I'm in trouble for something, aren't I?_

"Did I mortally offend you somehow?" the redhead demanded with no preamble.

Tommy blinked and opened his mouth to reply, but Hayley bulldozed on, "Because that's the only explanation I can come up with for the way you've been acting."

"And how have I been acting?" Tommy asked tiredly.

"Like a _jerk," _Hayley replied, "You've been ignoring me pretty much since you got back from school. You talked to the teens and told them to tell me things, instead of telling me yourself. And of course you ignored me when I tried to stop you from overexerting yourself when you were fighting Thorven, but at least that I can excuse as a Ranger thing. And you still won't even look me in the face. So what did I do? Was it whatever I said to Maria this morning that made her freak out?"

Tommy immediately sat up. "What? No, not at all! No one holds that against you, Hayley!"

"Then what is it?" Hayley pressed, "I've been with you through a lot, Tommy; the least you could do is be straight with me."

_And now I feel really petty. Great._

"It's nothing, Hayley. Don't worry about it."

"Clearly it's _not,"_ Hayley shot back, "I'm not about to let this go, Tommy, so spill."

"You really want to know?" Tommy snapped, "I've spent the last four hours filling out paperwork and fielding calls to clean up _your mess!"_

"'My mess?'" Hayley demanded, her eyes widening, "This is about the documents I sent to Ethan?"

Tommy sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering why he'd even opened his mouth. This was not going to end well.

Hayley threw up her hands in exasperation. "You have _got _to be kidding me! You use Kalik's hacking skills like it's the only way you know how to get information, and you're mad at _me_ for showing Ethan a couple alien documents?"

"Kalik at least knows how to cover his tracks," Tommy retorted, "The ICISI tracks those documents, Hayley, where they're opened, when they're opened, and by whom. You have to have written permission from three different agencies before they can be opened on a Level II planet, especially if by a non-Ranger, and Jason's not even in the country to try and get anything backdated before the ICISI comes down on us."

Hayley stared at Tommy, her eyes wide and her posture tense.

_Crap. I really need to learn to stop talking sometimes._

Hayley's eyes narrowed. "This is isn't about me at all, is it?"

She stood up and walked away.

"Hayley, wait," Tommy protested. His head fell forward into his hands. Great, another thing that managed to go wrong today.

Tommy looked up at the sound of glass clinking against the table. Hayley had set down a glass of water and two small white pills.

"Take these and go to bed," the redhead ordered, before leaving.

_Hayley…_

Hayley stopped at the stairs and added, "And next time, take your bad day out on a punching bag."

As the clack of her heels faded, Tommy let his head fall forward again with a tired groan. Maybe he'd get lucky and the pills would keep completely unconscious for the night.

He ended up dreaming about blood and slavery instead.

A/N: Apparently, there's no such thing as a happy ending for Tommy. Oh dear.

Things to adress:

Diplomacy - If this chapter seemed wishy-washy or like an info-dump to you, _this is what diplomacy is_. If this chapter had you on an emotional roller coaster fearing for the future of the planet, _this is what diplomacy is_. I drew from my own emotions from a simulation run in the National Youth Leadership Foundation's program on Intelligence and National Security, where we simulated a real-time night for various high ranking government officials on the eve of peace talks in Turkey.

Alien planets/weapons - Daria and the various weapons, I made up. Everything else comes from PR canon. Let me know how I did?

Evil/Mercenary Rangers - This is the first glimpse into my Power Theory. More will come in future chapters.

Anyway, please, leave a review!


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